ripped enterprises

What ripped enterprises does

Ripped Enterprises is a private, family-owned fitness publishing and consulting business founded in 1980 by Clarence Bass and based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company sells science-based fitness, nutrition, and healthy aging content through a catalog of 10 authored books (including the Ripped series, Lean Advantage series, Lean For Life, Great Expectations, Challenge Yourself, and Take Charge), 3 DVDs, a 3-tape audio cassette package, and $200 phone consultations with the founder. It operates a direct-to-consumer model without an on-site e-commerce checkout — orders are placed via phone (505-266-5858), email, or mail, with payment by credit card or PayPal. International orders are routed through Amazon rather than shipped directly from the company, and DVD distribution in Australia is handled through GMV Productions.

The business has no external funding and remains a two-person operation run by Clarence Bass and his wife Carol Bass. Clarence Bass is the sole author, public figure, and credibility anchor — a former lawyer, Olympic lifting champion, and Past-40 Mr. America winner who wrote the Ripped Department column for Muscle & Fitness magazine for 16 years and whose physique is documented in photographs from age 15 to 87. Marketing is content-driven through the cbass.com website (updated through 2023), Amazon listings, YouTube clips posted by GMV Productions, and word-of-mouth referrals. Endorsements from Johns Hopkins, Cooper Clinic, and University of Texas faculty provide professional credibility but are not commercial contracts.

Revenue mechanics rely entirely on one-time product sales and per-consultation fees. Books are priced from $16.95 to $25.95 plus shipping, DVDs are distributed through the company's US channel and GMV in Australia, and the audio tape package is $29.95. Phone consultations — previously a $200 revenue line — are currently not being scheduled to free up writing time. The customer base is a global long tail of individual fitness enthusiasts, with documented reach across the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Austria, and Belgium, supplemented by German-language editions. There is no evidence of enterprise customers, subscription revenue, or institutional investment.

Name

ripped enterprises

Legal name

Ripped Enterprises

Website

https://cbass.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ripped Enterprises is a privately held fitness publishing and consulting company founded in 1980 by Clarence Bass in Albuquerque, NM, selling science-based bodybuilding and nutrition books, DVDs, audio tapes, and phone consultations directly to a global long tail of individual fitness enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of fitness and nutrition books including the Ripped series (Ripped 1-3), Lean Advantage series, Great Expectations, Challenge Yourself, Take Charge, and Lean For Life. Books priced from $16.95 to $25.95 plus shipping.
2. DVD Sales: Sale of the Ripped DVD series (3 DVDs) covering training, nutrition, and motivation content. Also available through GMV Productions in Australia.
3. Audio Tapes: Sale of audio cassette tapes on fitness topics. Three-tape package available for $29.95 plus shipping.
4. Phone Consultations: Telephone consultations with Clarence Bass priced at $200 plus NM tax. Consultations typically last about an hour and focus on individual diet and training needs. Currently not scheduling new consultations to allow more time for writing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ripped Enterprises sells fitness, bodybuilding, nutrition, and healthy-aging books, a three-DVD series, audio cassette tapes, and personalized phone consultations authored and delivered by founder Clarence Bass. The products focus on science-based training programs, nutrition protocols, motivation strategies, and lifestyle guidance for lifelong fitness. Sales are direct-to-consumer via phone, email, mail, and the cbass.com website, with international customers served through Amazon and Australian DVD distribution handled by GMV Productions.

Product overview

Ripped Enterprises (Clarence Bass) offers a comprehensive fitness and nutrition education portfolio centered on books and media products. The core offering includes the Ripped Book Series (Ripped, Ripped 2, Ripped 3) documenting the groundbreaking Ripped diet and training program, the Lean Advantage Series for nutrition guidance, and standalone titles including Lean For Life (combining weights, aerobics, and nutrition), Challenge Yourself (goal-setting), Great Expectations (healthy aging approach), and Take Charge (fitness science). The company also produces the Ripped DVD Series (3 volumes covering training, lifestyle, and motivation) and Audio Cassette Tapes. Consultation services provide personalized fitness guidance. All products emphasize high-intensity training, sound nutrition, and lifetime fitness principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ripped DVD Series: Three DVD productions featuring Clarence Bass demonstrating training, nutrition, and motivation content, co-produced with Wayne and Tina Gallasch of GMV Productions in Australia.
• Ripped Book Series
• Lean Advantage Book Series

Products and services

• Ripped Book Series The original fitness book series (Ripped, Ripped 2, Ripped 3) documenting Clarence Bass's groundbreaking Ripped diet and training program that achieved 2.3% body fat. The books detail the Ripped lifestyle including meal preparation, athletic-type lifting, Tabata intervals, and lower ab training, and are aimed at bodybuilders and serious fitness enthusiasts.
• Lean Advantage Series A three-book series continuing the Ripped tradition with detailed nutrition and fitness guidance, focusing on lifestyle eating habits and the Ripped approach to long-term leanness for individual fitness enthusiasts.
• Lean For Life

Quantifiable outcome

• Body fat maintained under 9% for most of adult life, under 3% at competition peak
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GMV ProductionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian distribution partner for Ripped DVD series. Wayne and Tina Gallasch co-produce and distribute DVDs in Australia. They have also posted Ripped DVD clips on YouTube to market the products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mind Pump Media: A fitness media brand combining podcast content with paid training programs and supplements, founded on the personal authority of experienced trainers. Comparable as a personal-brand fitness publishing business targeting evidence-based fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts.
• ATHLEAN-X: A direct-to-consumer fitness education and content brand built around the personal authority of trainer Jeff Cavaliere, selling programs, supplements, and digital content. Highly comparable as a single-expert fitness publishing/education brand serving the same enthusiast customer base through media products.
• Stack.com: A digital fitness media platform publishing performance-focused training and nutrition content for serious athletes. Comparable as an online fitness publishing brand serving dedicated strength, physique, and bodybuilding audiences.
• Renaissance Periodization: A science-driven fitness and nutrition coaching and publishing brand built around Dr. Mike Israetel's authority, offering books, courses, and coaching services. Comparable as a personal-authority fitness education brand selling media content and consultations to dedicated enthusiasts.
• Precision Nutrition: A coaching and education company selling nutrition certification, books, and direct coaching services, founded on expert authority. Comparable as a personal-expert nutrition and fitness publishing/coaching business targeting committed individuals willing to pay for guidance.
• Bodybuilding.com: A large online fitness content and supplement retailer with extensive article library, training programs, and product sales. Comparable as a fitness publishing and product retail platform serving the same bodybuilding and physique-focused customer base.
• T-Nation: One of the longest-running online fitness content platforms, publishing articles, training programs, and supplement information for serious lifters. Comparable as a long-standing fitness content publishing platform serving dedicated bodybuilding and strength training audiences.

Emerging players

• Stronger U Nutrition: A digital nutrition coaching company combining expert-led content with one-on-one coaching subscriptions. Comparable as a subscription-based fitness/nutrition expert business but operating on a much larger and modernized scale with online infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Men's Health: A large mainstream men's fitness and health publication with associated digital content, books, and product lines. Comparable as a fitness publishing brand serving overlapping health-focused audiences, but at vastly larger scale and with a multi-author editorial model.
• Muscle & Fitness (magazine): A mainstream fitness magazine and digital platform that employed Clarence Bass as a columnist for 16 years. Comparable as a fitness publishing brand, but operates at much broader scale as a multi-author mass-market publication rather than single-expert brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/gmvbodybuilding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ripped enterprises