By Exec Edge Editorial Staff
At the heart of the fitness industry lies a paradox: fads come and go, but as time has shown, people consistently want to stay fit. Over the last decade, the fitness industry has undergone a profound transformation to better align with changing consumer expectations.
Large, sprawling gyms have dominated the fitness landscape for years. Facilities with hundreds of machines and treadmills, free weights and swimming pools, basketball courts and racketball enclosures, have recruited thousands of subscribers. These facilities offer consumers flexibility and the ability to walk in at any time and undertake an exercise regimen of their choice.
But, more recently, consumers have become increasingly interested in specialized, guided workouts that many large commercial gyms do not aptly accommodate. They are looking for specificity and the ability to attend highly tailored classes led by expert instructors and attended by fellow fitness seekers.
“What our industry has begun to realize is that people want community and specificity in their workout routines,” said fitness entrepreneur Anthony Geisler. “Entrepreneurs have taken advantage of this by founding fitness studios that focus on highly concerted workout regimens and provide expert instruction and a sense of community.”
In the span of just ten years, fitness brands like Orangetheory and Barry’s Bootcamp, which offer specialized classes that bring together different training structures, have helped communities across the country reach their fitness goals. These brands bring together high-intensity interval training, a cardio approach also known as HIIT, with strength and mobility training to offer subscribers a more acute and considered workout.
“Our community is a huge driver for bringing in new customers,” said Barry’s Bootcamp CEO Joey Gonzalez in a recent Forbes article. “Our clients become brand evangelists and want to share their experience with their own networks. Even celebrities willingly share by word-of-mouth and on social media.”
Yoga, pilates, and even pickleball have also seen an explosion in popularity. While vastly diverse in their approach, these new ventures are united by a common goal: infusing fitness with community.
Studios differentiate themselves from the larger gyms by offering, in many cases, exclusively group classes, as well as incentives to consistently attend and engage with fellow fitness enthusiasts. Geisler said this is about more than just helping people build habits. It’s also good business.
Stewarding a sense of community also helps emphasize lifestyle products, Anthony Geisler said. For many, fitness has become a trend-based lifestyle, requiring the best gear, shoes, athleticwear, water bottles or bags. These products, which are popularized by social media influencers, are integral to the experience of exercising and another way to share a community in the world of fitness.
“It has become clear that the fitness world is about more than just exercising,” Geisler said. “There is an entire web of products, brands and items associated with the concept of fitness. Since these items are shared online and can even act as a status symbol, they become their own kind of fitness community.”
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