Growth in the Number of Fitness Franchises in 2013

ATTENTION! To all entrepreneurs who are looking for a franchise business within an expanding market with great potential for development, we have a solution for you. Look no more - the fitness franchise might just be the one for you. As people get educated on the subject of rightful eating and exercising and realize the benefits of a natural lifestyle, they turn to a more environment-friendly health-conscious way of living. The truth is, we have a problem getting enough exercise when we are stuck in the office. The solution? An hour on the treadmill, the exercycle, or the stair climber. The increasing number of health gurus contributes to the promotion of wellbeing. As the wellness industry expands so does the fitness business. The future of fitness franchises seems healthy and stable. What does this mean? For one thing, it means more working opportunities. According to Ed Teixeira, a franchise expert, “the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of fitness workers is expected to increase 29 percent over the 2008–18 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.”

The demand of fitness centers has risen significantly over the last years. Experts expect that tendency to stay. More people are replacing jogging in the park with extensive workouts in the gym or group trainings and classes for zumba, aerobics, boxing and taekwondo. Jogging outside is still popular, but fitness centers offer something that cannot be found in parks. Many factors contribute to this tendency. Some people find it easier to motivate and stay focused in gyms. Others prefer to go to gyms to meet new people and socialize. Fitness equipment is another reason for the growth of fitness center popularity. Fitness maniacs prefer to pay for fitness memberships instead of buy the equipment themselves.

Moreover, more than half of the existing fitness clubs are franchises. New fitness franchises are opening constantly. Snap Fitness has been in the franchising business since 2004 and since then has grown to more than 1000 locations. In fact, in some cases there are big fitness brands that are running out of locations for opening new franchises. As a result, it is expected that mid-level and growing fitness companies would invest in the opening of the majority of new franchises in the industry.

Another tendency in the fitness industry is the specialization of fitness franchises. Universal fitness centers are no longer the norm. Given the scale of the industry, entrepreneurs need to find the right niche before opening a new franchise. The reason for this is that they need to distinguish themselves from the competitors. The fitness industry gives a great opportunity for segmentation of the market. The diversity of fitness clients ranges from high-school students, to new mothers, to bodybuilding enthusiasts. We suggest you research the market in the area where you want to open a fitness franchise. There is no use of opening a fitness club for seniors if there are two other ones in the area or there is no demand for it. 

The demand for personalized services has increased as well. Clients want special attention. Each one of them has individual needs and sets his/her own goals. They demand personalized workout programs prepared for them by specialists who can help them reach their goal. Some women want to lose the extra weight they have gained while pregnant; most young men just want to stay fit or gain muscles; there are others who want to prepare for a marathon or a triathlon. The motivations and the goals of clients are different so they all need an individual approach. Their programs have to be adapted to these needs. As a result, in the last years more fitness centers have focused on addressing these individual needs by offering personalized services.  

The future of the fitness industry is in franchises. So the niche of fitness franchising might be what you are looking for if you are considering buying. As Teixeira examines, “The United States Department of Commerce reports that there are approximately 31,000 fitness centers and health clubs in the United States and franchises represent almost 65% or 20,000 of the total, which includes personal fitness programs unique to franchising.“