Lose 12 Inches Shark Tank Update: Cowboy Ryan’s Business Rebrand
If you are a fan of Shark Tank, you probably remember the high-energy entrepreneurs who burst through the doors and leave a lasting impression. Few pitches were as memorable as the one delivered by Ryan “Cowboy” Ehmann in Season 4.
With a loud yell, a massive cowboy hat, and an unshakeable belief in his fitness program, Ehmann pitched a business called “Lose 12 Inches.”
His promise was bold: he claimed he could help anyone lose a combined 12 inches off their body measurements in just 12 workouts. He walked away with a major investment from Daymond John, and for a while, his face was everywhere.
But the fitness industry moves incredibly fast. What worked in 2013 does not always work a decade later. Today, in 2026, the fitness world is vastly different.
People are moving away from exhausting, hour-long boot camps and turning toward smarter, faster, and more targeted workouts. To survive, Cowboy Ryan had to adapt.
This is the complete 2026 update on “Lose 12 Inches.” We will explore what the program originally was, how the Shark Tank pitch went down, the founder’s true net worth, and how the business completely transformed into a modern fitness studio known as Barre6.
What Was the “Lose 12 Inches” Program?
Before we look at where the company is today, we have to understand what made it famous. “Lose 12 Inches with Any 12 Workouts” was a fitness system designed to help people burn belly fat and change their body shape quickly.
Instead of focusing on the scale and tracking pounds, the program focused entirely on body measurements.
The idea was simple: losing inches from your waist, arms, and thighs is much more motivating than losing a few pounds of water weight. Seeing your clothing size drop offers visible proof that your body is changing.
The secret sauce of the program was something Ryan Ehmann called the “Cowboy Fit Zone”. It was a specialized high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine.
By wearing a heart rate monitor, users could make sure their heart rate stayed in the exact right zone to burn the maximum amount of fat.
The program included detailed workout videos and a nutrition guide to ensure users were eating properly to support their goals.
At the time, the program sold for $89.95 and was marketed as a fast, highly structured way to get fit. It also featured a unique piece of exercise equipment called “Rodeo Abs,” which Ehmann invented to help users target their core muscles safely and effectively.
Who is the Real Founder of Lose 12 Inches?
Over the years, some outdated articles mistakenly credited other fitness trainers with creating this program. Let’s set the record straight: Ryan “Cowboy” Ehmann is the sole founder and creator of “Lose 12 Inches”.
Ehmann’s story is a perfect example of turning a major life setback into a massive success. For 14 years, Ehmann lived his dream as a professional rodeo rider.
However, riding bucking broncos places a tremendous amount of stress on the human body. Eventually, the wear and tear caught up with him. He developed severe, chronic lower back pain.
The pain was so bad that he went to see more than 15 different doctors. Every single one of them gave him the same terrible news: his rodeo career was over, and he would likely have to live with the pain forever. At his lowest point, Ehmann found himself broke and living in a camper in a Texas field.
But Ehmann refused to give up. He decided to take his health into his own hands. He began studying personal training and biomechanics, desperately trying to find a way to heal his own back.
He realized that his pain was caused by muscle imbalances. By designing a workout that strengthened his core and engaged his entire body in the correct heart rate zone, he slowly rehabilitated himself.
Within a few months, his back pain was completely gone. He even returned to the rodeo circuit and won a national title.
Realizing that his “Cowboy Fit Zone” could help others, he started training clients locally.
When they saw massive results, he knew he had a real business on his hands. With his wife’s encouragement, he set his sights on the biggest stage for entrepreneurs: Shark Tank.
Lose 12 Inches Shark Tank Pitch (Season 4, Episode 19)
In early 2013, Ryan Ehmann walked into the Shark Tank looking for an investment of $120,000 in exchange for 20% equity in his company. This meant he was valuing “Lose 12 Inches” at $600,000.
| Shark Tank Deal Details | Information |
| Entrepreneur | Ryan “Cowboy” Ehmann |
| Product | Lose 12 Inches / Rodeo Abs |
| Investment Asked | $120,000 for 20% Equity |
| Company Valuation | $600,000 |
| Final Deal | $120,000 for 25% Equity with Daymond John |
His pitch was legendary. He burst into the room with a loud cowboy yell and kept the energy at a maximum level the entire time.
To prove that his program worked, he literally ripped his shirt open to show the Sharks his ripped “rodeo abs”. He showed before-and-after photos of his clients and explained that his heart-rate software guaranteed results.
Despite his incredible energy, the Sharks were skeptical.
- Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec liked his passion but were concerned about the business model and the highly competitive nature of the fitness industry. They both dropped out.
- Kevin O’Leary didn’t see a clear path to making his money back, so he also passed.
- Lori Greiner liked the idea but felt that his claim of losing exactly 12 inches in 12 workouts needed independent clinical testing before she would invest. She went out.
Just when it looked like the Cowboy was going to ride home empty-handed, Daymond John spoke up.
Daymond loved Ryan’s hustle, his brand, and his undeniable energy. He offered Ehmann the $120,000 he asked for, but wanted 25% of the company instead of 20%.
Ehmann didn’t hesitate. He enthusiastically accepted the deal with his signature catchphrase: “Woo hoo! That’s what I’m talking about!”.
What Happened Right After Shark Tank?
The “Shark Tank Effect” is real, and it hit Ryan Ehmann’s business like a freight train. In the six weeks following the episode’s airing, the company made an incredible $80,000 in sales.
To keep up with the massive spike in demand, Ehmann found himself working up to 20 hours a day. With Daymond John’s guidance, the company tried to expand rapidly.
They released new workout DVDs, created a certification program to teach other trainers how to use the Cowboy Fit Zone software, and pushed hard to get the Rodeo Abs machine into commercial gyms.
Daymond John even became a client himself, using the workouts to get in shape. In 2016, the show featured an update segment (Season 7, Episode 27) showing Ryan happily running his gyms and training clients.
However, running a fitness business based purely on one person’s personality is incredibly difficult. Eventually, the company ran into trouble.
The physical gym locations that Ehmann opened in Fort Collins and Loveland, Colorado, eventually had to close their doors.
The original “Lose 12 Inches” website went inactive. The cowboy theme was fun for television, but as the years went by, it became harder to sell to the average gym-goer.
To survive, the business needed a massive change.
The 2026 Update: The Rebrand to Barre6
By 2021, the fitness industry had changed. People were moving away from loud, aggressive boot camps and turning toward elegant, core-focused workouts like Pilates and barre.
Realizing this, Ryan Ehmann and Daymond John executed a brilliant pivot. They completely dropped the “Lose 12 Inches” and cowboy branding. They rebranded the entire company as Barre6.
They moved out of the rural markets and opened a sleek, modern fitness studio at 1640 Merrick Road in Merrick, New York.
Instead of an hour-long boot camp, Barre6 offers a highly efficient, 28-minute total-body workout. The marketing shifted from “rodeo abs” to sculpting the “Instagram body”. The classes use a patented barre system and focus on stability, strength, flexibility, and coordination.
The Truth About the Daymond John Partnership
One of the most fascinating updates came recently during a Season 15 Shark Tank update segment. Daymond John spoke very honestly about the reality of investing in small businesses.
He revealed that over their ten-year partnership, he and Ryan Ehmann have actually not made any money from the business. The costs of expanding, closing gyms, and rebranding ate up the profits.
However, Daymond John made it clear that he does not regret the deal. He stated that he and Ryan have maintained a powerful, lasting friendship.
This shows that in the world of venture capital, success isn’t always just about the balance sheet; it is also about supporting hardworking, blue-collar entrepreneurs through thick and thin.
The Science Behind Barre6: Why it Fits the 2026 Fitness Market
You might wonder how a cowboy boot camp successfully transformed into a modern barre studio. The truth is, the underlying science of the workouts never changed; only the packaging did.
In 2026, the American College of Sports Medicine listed the top fitness trends in the world. Barre6 perfectly matches what today’s consumers actually want:
1. The 28-Minute Workout and “JOMO” In 2026, one of the biggest trends in wellness is “JOMO,” or the “Joy of Missing Out”. People no longer want to spend two hours at the gym. They want to get in, work hard, and get back to their lives. Barre6’s strict 28-minute class schedule allows busy professionals to get a massive calorie burn in less than half an hour.
2. Global Muscle Integration Old-school bodybuilding involved sitting on a machine and working one muscle at a time. Today, science proves that working the entire body at once—known as Global Muscle Integration—builds much more strength and power. Barre6 uses “elevated vertical movements” that force the user to activate up to 600 different muscles at the exact same time. This builds functional strength that protects the joints.
3. Fixing Nerve Pathways (AMIT) When Ryan Ehmann fixed his own back pain, he accidentally tapped into a concept called Advanced Muscle Integration Technique (AMIT). When we get injured or sit at a desk all day, our brain actually “turns off” certain muscles to protect us. This leads to pain and weakness. The rapid, balance-focused movements in a Barre6 class force the brain to turn those dormant muscles back on. This is why participants feel so energized and pain-free after a class.
4. Wearable Technology The number one fitness trend in 2026 is wearable technology, like smartwatches and fitness trackers. Because the Barre6 workout puts the body into an “adrenalized state,” it is perfect for tracking heart rate zones—which is exactly what the original “Cowboy Fit Zone” was built to do.
Is Barre6 Still in Business Today?
Yes! As of 2026, our research shows that Barre6 is very much alive and well.
While the company has not yet opened the dozens of franchise locations it originally planned, the flagship studio in Merrick, New York, is thriving. It operates seven days a week, offering classes like “IRON” and “Fusion” from 6:00 AM until late in the evening. The studio boasts an incredible 4.8-star rating on Google, with members praising the high-energy instructors and the fast, challenging workouts.
| Barre6 Merrick NY – 2026 Operating Hours |
| Monday – Thursday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM |
| Friday – Saturday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sunday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Data based on 2026 booking schedules.
If you don’t live in New York, the company has also stepped into the digital world. Competing with massive brands like Pure Barre and Barre3, Barre6 offers a digital subscription service.
Right now, users can sign up for a 10-day trial for just $10.00 to try the 28-minute workout system from their own living rooms.
What is the Net Worth of Lose 12 Inches in 2026?
When Ryan Ehmann pitched on Shark Tank, he valued his company at $600,000, and Daymond John’s investment put the final valuation at $480,000.
Today, it is hard to put an exact value on the Barre6 business itself, especially since Daymond John noted that the partnership hasn’t yielded major cash profits.
However, Ryan “Cowboy” Ehmann has done very well for himself. Financial reports estimate Ehmann’s personal net worth in 2026 to be around $1.3 million. Going from being broke and living in a camper to running a successful fitness brand in New York with a million-dollar net worth is a massive accomplishment.
Final Thoughts
The story of “Lose 12 Inches” is one of the most realistic examples of what it takes to survive in business. You cannot just rely on a catchy slogan or a television appearance to keep a company alive for over a decade.
Ryan Ehmann took the core science that healed his own broken body and constantly adapted it to fit what the market needed. When the cowboy theme stopped working, he didn’t quit. He completely transformed the company into a modern, sleek, 28-minute barre workout that perfectly fits the 2026 lifestyle.
While he and Daymond John might not have made millions of dollars together, they built a great friendship and a lasting business that genuinely helps people get healthier. And true to his brand, Cowboy Ryan is still in fantastic shape today, proving that his fitness methods actually work.
