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Latest News

Medical Fitness Network Directory Helps Personal Trainers and Health Clubs Reach New Clients with Chronic Conditions

Lisa Dougherty didn't start her personal training business,Whole Body Fitness, Costa Mesa, California, with the goal of launching a registry of health and fitness professionals. However, about two years ago, that's just what she did with the intent of connecting fitness professionals and fitness facilities with new clients who need specialized services.

After starting her business 20 years ago, Dougherty began receiving inquiries from people around the United States about how to find trainers who handled clients with health challenges as Dougherty does.

Matrix Fitness Launches The Matrix Learning Center

COTTAGE GROVE, Wis. (February 25, 2016) – Matrix Fitness has launched MatrixLearningCenter.com, an online learning destination for Matrix users.

The easily accessible library of resources is designed to assist commercial fitness facilities to maximize their investment with Matrix and deliver better fitness and wellness experiences to their customers.

Orangetheory Fitness Gets Expansion Boost with Growth Equity Investment

To help it toward its goal of opening more than 300 studios by 2017, Orangetheory Fitness, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, received growth equity investment in an undisclosed sum from an affiliate of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm that focuses on investing in the franchise industry, Orangetheory announced.

"We decided to engage Roark as a strategic investor to support us as we continue to experience rapid growth in the U.S. and internationally, as well as expand our product and service quality," said Dave Long, co-founder and chief executive officer of Orangetheory Fitness. "Our relationship with Roark will strengthen our mission to deliver proven fitness results for a healthier world."

AFS and Precor Develop Studio Content Program

(CHICAGO, IL/WOODINVILLE, WA) – AFS and Precor today announced a content marketing development program that will address the major challenges facing studio owners and developers.

“Precor is committed to helping facility owners grow their businesses and they have a long-standing track record of providing valuable educational programs for the vertical markets they serve,” said Josh Leve, AFS founder and CEO. “We look forward to working with them to produce relevant education and business resources that will enable studio operators to grow their businesses.”

CycleBar Signs More Than 200 Studios in First Year of Franchise Sales

Indoor cycling brand CycleBar, Cincinnati, announced that it is has signed more than 200 studios in 10 months in its inaugural year of franchise sales.

The company said it is on pace to reach its larger goal of having 100 studios open to riders by the end of 2016, a goal it announced in July 2015.

Accuro Latest Fitness Supplier To Join AFS

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, February 5, 2016) – The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) today proudly announced and welcomed the addition of Accuro, a division of NCI Technology Inc., to AFS membership.

Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, NCI Technology provides a variety of high-tech, state-of-the-art healthcare products for the medical, fitness and wellness industries. NCI Technology also has an office in China with both locations featuring fully integrated research and development, production, sales and customer service departments.

AFS Announces Fitness Studio Marketing Best Practices Research Study

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, January 26, 2016) – The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) announced today that it has partnered with ClubIntel, the fitness industry leader in market research, to conduct the first-ever study to identify successful marketing practices, as well as key marketing performance indicators in the American fitness studio market.

The 2016 Fitness Studio Marketing Best Practices study will be conducted over the next two months and will identify the marketing strategies (traditional and digital) utilized by studios as well as the manner in which these strategies are employed - plus much more!

Brand New Reports Coming Soon!!!

2019 Fitness Studio Operating & Financial Benchmarking Report

The 2019 report is our most ambitious yet, including a financial breakdown of studios by region, studio type, and size to get the most accurate data possible.

Access the 2019 Report

2019 Fitness Studio Trend Report

To ensure a variety of feedback, AFS canvassed its Advisory Council, vendor partners, and leading studio and gym operators to reveal their top trends for 2019!

Access the 2019 Report

2018 Fitness Studio Operating & Financial Benchmarking Report

From coast to coast, the 2018 report canvassed the US to get the most accurate data possible. The 2018 report shows the studio market continues to thrive and become increasingly revenue efficient.

Access the 2018 Report

2018 Fitness Studio Trend Report

To ensure a variety of perspectives AFS canvassed it’s Advisory Council, Vendor Partners, and leading studio operators on trends they see growing or continuing in 2018.

Access the 2018 Trend Report

2017 Fitness Studio Operating & Financial Benchmarking Report

The 2017 Report has expanded the reach of respondents to mirror the expansion of AFS and the studio business. A full 30% of respondents to this year’s survey are from non-U.S. locations.

Access the 2017 Report

Marketing Best Practices Research Report

We surveyed hundreds of studio owners across the country, identified the successful strategies, and provide them to you in this first-ever research report!

Access the 2016 Report