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Summary of our market study
The global fitness market has seen significant transformations starting from 2020, heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. As health clubs faced closures, the industry experienced a pivot towards digital and at-home fitness. For example, Peloton's annual sales surged as the demand for online workout classes and home exercise equipment soared. Alongside this digital shift, there was an observable trend with 60% of Americans contemplating gym membership cancellation, pointing to a considerable market potential for remote personal training, which encompasses a current market size of $10 billion. Despite the pandemic's impact, the US sport coaching market size saw moderate growth, with a 0.2% annual increase from 2016 to 2021. Furthermore, it's expected that the global market will expand by $9.07 billion between 2021 and 2025 with a CAGR of around 5%. In the same period, fitness apps usage and investments in at-home exercise equipment witnessed an uptick, reflecting changing consumer behaviors towards health and fitness in light of the pandemic's restrictions.
Evolving Dynamics in the U.S. Fitness and Coaching Market
The U.S. fitness and coaching market has experienced a kaleidoscope of changes recently, driven by varying consumer behaviors and external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, a significant trend showcasing the market's vitality is the consistent growth in sports and fitness engagement, with fitness activities garnering the most participation at a rate of approximately 67%. Interestingly, the female demographic has shown increasing interest, with their sports and exercise participation rising to around 18% in recent years. Economic data reveals that the sports coaching sector alone reached a size of around $9 billion. The broader fitness industry, which includes sports centers and health clubs, boasts an even more impressive footprint, estimated at nearly $28 billion. Gym memberships have climbed steadily, amassing to over 60 million, highlighting a robust demand for physical fitness offerings. However, the pandemic's onset introduced unprecedented challenges, unraveling the industry's momentum significantly. Leading fitness centers faced severe setbacks, with top players filing for bankruptcy and the industry at large witnessing a staggering loss of about $14 billion within a few months. The pandemic's impact also accelerated existing trends, particularly digital and at-home fitness solutions. Companies like Peloton Interactive saw their sales surge into the hundreds of millions, while personal trainers and coaches rapidly embraced online platforms to offer their services. The demand for personalized fitness is compelling due to Americans' nuanced relationships with health and wellness.
On one end, around 42% of adults over 20 years old face obesity, highlighting a potential audience for targeted fitness interventions. Conversely, there's a growing movement towards health consciousness, with dietary supplement use climbing to over 55% among adults—a reflection of the burgeoning desire for preventive healthcare measures. Personalization is indeed changing the approach to exercise, with Americans allocating significant annual sums—estimated at over $100,000 over a lifetime—to fitness-related expenses. The burgeoning appetite for custom workout plans suggests a bright future for specialized fitness regimes, further reinforced by the societal pivot towards health and wellness amplified by social media's influence. As robust growth permeates the U.S. fitness landscape, a gamut of gym types coexists, ranging from traditional expansive centers, boutique studios focusing on niche offerings, to CrossFit and yoga hubs. The advent of High-value, low-price (HVLP) clubs and boutique fitness studios has diversified the fitness service spectrum, targeting different consumer segments by balancing affordability with specialization. In terms of geographical distribution, there's a clear alignment.
Spotlight on Key Market Leaders in the US Fitness Industry
As the fitness and health club markets in the United States continue to evolve, several major players continue to dominate the landscape, shaping the way Americans approach health and exercise. These entities span across various models and concepts, showcasing a diverse range of services and facilities to cater to different preferences and needs. Below is an overview of the dominant forces within the industry:
- Planet Fitness: Known as a pioneer in the High Value, Low Price (HVLP) gym model, Planet Fitness stands out for its commitment to providing affordable fitness options. Their facilities are known to be well-equipped, offering a variety of classes and amenities for a very accessible membership fee. Planet Fitness has seen rapid expansion, with the number of its facilities skyrocketing in the past decade, illustrating the strong demand for affordable, no-frills fitness options.
- Anytime Fitness: Boasting a vast number of units both within the United States and internationally, Anytime Fitness operates on a model that provides members with 24/7 access to its facilities, thus living true to its name. They have also noted remarkable growth and have become synonymous with convenience and accessibility, catering to those who seek flexible workout schedules.
- LA Fitness: With its solid presence in the fitness club market, LA Fitness offers a traditional gym setup augmented with a variety of services and amenities. Their all-inclusive approach to wellness, including group classes and personal training options, has secured them a place among the top fitness centers by revenue.
- CrossFit: Largely considered as the trailblazer in the boutique fitness studio sector, CrossFit is centered around high-intensity functional movement workouts. The brand has cultivated a dedicated following and community, contributing to the impressive number of its affiliates worldwide. CrossFit's model promotes a kind of team training atmosphere that appeals to those looking for rigorous and communal workout experiences.
- Orangetheory Fitness: Another giant in the boutique fitness studio world, Orangetheory Fitness specializes in group personal training workouts based on high-intensity interval training (HIIT). With a dramatic increase in the number of studios, Orangetheory brings a technology-driven and science-backed approach to exercise, appealing to fitness enthusiasts who favor a structured and monitored training regimen.
- SoulCycle (Owned by Equinox): As a prominent name in the cycling studio sector, SoulCycle, under the umbrella of Equinox, offers an intense cardio experience set to a backdrop of inspiring music.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
Coaching refers to the practice of providing a personalized support for the realization of the client’s improvement aimed at achieving a goal. Coaching has been traditionally associated with sports, although there are different areas one would want to improve, such as the personal or professional spheres.
Referring to the most popular type of coaching, the sports one, it is possible to affiliate the latter with fitness instructors or personal trainers. Although the definition of coaching is slightly different from the one of trainer, for the scope and delimitation of the market study, we will refer to all three figures.
The sport coaching market in the US has shown considerable growth in the last ten years, representing one of the fastest growing industries, as a number of macro trends affecting consumers’ behaviors, lifestyle and choices have proven to be positively impactful towards the rise of the market. According to Ibis the US sport coaching market size in 2021 has reached 9.3 billion dollars and it has grown 0.2% per year on average between 2016 and 2021
The fitness market, on the other hand, involves all sports centers where one can engage in physical activity related to the well-being of the body. Typically, fitness centers provide the resources for individual exercise, group classes, personalized coaching, and relaxation through for example spa and Zen rooms.
We can therefrore say that the coaching and the fitness markets are inevitably interrelated and are likely to move in similar directions and, within the scope of this study, we will therefore treat them and their figures as such.
1.2 US’ market outlook
Considering that the definition of Fitness is "striving for and achieving a good physical condition" [***], the concept by itself cannot be considered as a standalone market and will thus be affiliated, within the scope of this study, with the broader sports coaching and fitness clubs markets as these are the physical places were Fitness can be practiced and achieved.
That is the reason why we say the the Fitness Market includes all sports centers where one can achieve a good physical condition and consequently better health.
The sports coaching market indeed can be defined as including different types of facilities, from athletic ones to schools and other educational institutions which provide athletic training to individuals or groups. Considering that most of these activities have to be carried out in health and fitness clubs (***), throughout this study the two industries will be considered as one.
According to Ibis the US sport coaching market size in **** has reached *.* billion dollars and it has grown *.*% per year on average between **** and ****.
Moreover, the global market is expected to grow by *.** billion dollars between **** and **** at a CAGR (***) of around *%.
Sport Coaching Market USA, ****-****, in billion $ Source: Ibis CAGR (***): +*.*%
The market size of the ...
1.3 COVID-19 Effect and Growth of Digital and at-home Fitness
The COVID-** Pandemic has inevitably affected many different sectors, some of which will never be the same. The Fitness and Sports Industries, in particular, have been extremely impacted by the health crisis which can be considered as the biggest disruption these industries have ever faced.
The IHRSA estimated that the US gym and health club industry lost $**.* billion from mid-March to August **, **** as more than **.*** gyms and health clubs have been closed because of COVID-** as of May ****. [***]. Morevoer, many gyms were forced to file for bankruptcy due to these disruptions, among which ** Hour Fitness, one of the strongest players in the industry until ****.
Moreover, given these circumstances, **% of Americans are currently planning to cancel their gym membership thus further sinking the already suffering sector. Indeed, as a consequence of this, and of the fact that most Americans (***) have lost confidence and trust in the gym environment based on what they know of COVID-**, and are therefore not likely to go back at least for the next * months, around ***.*** workers of the industry lost their job. [***].
All of these circumstances brough about by the crisis have contributed to the emergence and the fast growth of an already existing phenomenon which gained ...
2 Demand Analysis
2.1 Sport engagement
The sport coaching market is hard to define and synthetize, as no clear perimeter is set around the scope of the market. Indeed, throughout the demand analysis, different determining factors will be analyzed, which are belived to have an impact on the overall fitness and wellness industry.
The number of people engaged in sports on any give day in the United States can give an exemplification of the prospects for the market. A steady trend can be observed for the male share of sport engagements throughout the period ****-****, whereas women have moved from a stable **.*% for the first years to an **% in **** with a peack of **.*% in ****. Male have shown throughout the period consistent greater participation in sport and exercise activities compared to females, however, the latter segment is increasingly taking part in these types of activities.
Share of population engaged in sports and exercise per day, by gender USA, ****-****, in % Source: ****
Additionally, a specification of the engagement by category of activity can provide a deeper overview of Americans’ preferences. Fitness activities, as it is visible, have shown the greater interest and participation rate with **.*% of the respondent engaged in the latter.
Participation Rates in Exercising, by type of ...
2.2 Potential growing demand for fitness
Demand for personal training and coaching is expected to benefit from the two sides of the coin of American society. In the last ** years two phenomena have indeed been progressively affecting Americans: on one side the obesity and overweight rates have grown and on the other exercising rates and the general interest of the population in health issues have increased. The two can fall under a bigger trend, which interests both sides of the coin: awareness and prevention of health-related diseases.
High Overweight Rate
According to Centers for Disease Control, from ****-**** to ****-**** an increasing trend in obesity has been recorded in the US. Between **** and **** **.*% of Americans over ** years of age were declared obese [***]. This, even though a sad reality, surely represents an opportunity for the fitness and training industry because of the potential market size which could be reached in this specific market.
Another relevant set of data, illustrated by the graph below, is the concerning number of states in the country with obesity rates at **% or higher in **** which was the highest since **** and perfectly represents the trend of increasing obesity in the US.
Number of States with adult obesity rates higher or equal to **% USA, ****-****, ...
2.3 Personalization is changing Americans' approach to exercise
According to the latest survey of MyProtein Americans spend circa USD ***,*** in their entire life time for fitness related expenses, which when decomposed on a monthly basis, highlights the increasing relevance that customization is having on purchasing habits and choices of American citizens. [***]
Fitness purchases, by category US, ****, in % Source: ****
Moreover, even if consumers spending on personal trainers is not excessive at the moment, the US market potential for personal trainers is considerable and the current market size of this segment amouns to ** billion dollars [***]. The future evolution of the market is expected to be impacted by growing demand for customized workout plans. After all, exercising is connected to ones’ health, and health is at the forefront of the personalization industry. Moreover, the current situation and the first wave of the COVID-** pandemic have signifcantly contributed to foster the growth of this segment, through online fuition of personalized excercise plans.
3 Market structure
3.1 Health and Fitness centers continue to grow in the US
The US gym market, which includes both health and fitness centers, is among the largest in the world, having reached in **** a figure of **.*** centers [***]. The market is undoubtedly saturated, as it counts a considerably large number of facilities and has shown a steady growth between **** and ****, however, Ibis estimated an expected increase in market size of *.*% by the end of ****.
Number of Health and Fitness Centers USA, ****-****, in number of centers Source: ****
Despite the high number of gyms spread all over the country, it is possible to establish a market dominance of three players as of ****, since data for **** were missing due to the closing period that many centers undertook due to local regulation to face the COVID-** emergency. [***]
LA Fitness Life Time ClubCorp
Their dominance is not limited to the US territory, as by revenue generated all three are in the top health clubs and gyms worldwide.
Top Health and Fitness Centers, by revenue USA, ****, in millions Source: Club Industry
Additionally, according to the US Bureau statistics in **** there were ***.*** fitness instructors in the US, and circa **,*% of them were employed in fitness and recreational sports centers. The employment figure is forecasted to reach a **.*% growth in ...
3.2 Geographical distribution is consistent with “healthier states”
Number of gyms per state
Gym and health clubs presence has increased considerably throughout the years, although not in a uniform manner across the entire United States. Indeed, the number of facilities varies greatly from state to state, the range goes as high as to reach in **** circa **** gyms in California to a little over ** in Wyoming. [***]. In the graph below an overview of the top ** states with the greatest number of gyms and health clubs is represented.
Number of Gyms and Gyms Per Capita USA, ****, in number of gyms and gyms per capita Source: ****
Exercising in the different states
Despite the statistical data on the number of gyms and subscriptions (***), a relatively smaller percentage of individuals who sign up for a gym membership do follow through. Indeed, it has been estimated that **% of new members do not make it past * months, **% not past * and *% do not make it past the end of the month. [***]
Colorado represents the state where the highest percentage of adults met national guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities – **,*% which is far higher than the national average of **,*%. These data and the ones represented in the graph below come from an in-person annual national survey conducted ...
4 Analysis of the offer
4.1 A number of structure sizes and offerings
Gyms can differ greatly based on the size, the programs offered and consequently the perceived value for the customer (***).
One can identify three major types of training facilities:
Source: ****
In addition to the layout, the services provided vary greatly, specifically in terms of number and type.
Source: ****
Workouts can indeed involve a limited or unlimited number of participants, can be specifically oriented towards a body part or general, they can be personal or not.
An increasing number of health clubs are advertising in their offering one to one coaching, in a way that wants to be an evolution of the typical personal training services. (***).
4.2 Two forces transforming the traditional landscape
Traditional gym offerings as we once knew them are disappearing or rather facing increasing competition due to the boom of two alternative facilities.
High-value, low price clubs (***) Boutique fitness studios
These two forces are believed to stand at the far opposite sides of the spectrum, targeting extremely different consumers, sparking in them a diverse interest. On one side boutique are highly specialized studios offering a limited number of classes which typically focus on one sector (***) [***].
The two solutions combined have increased their number in the US territory considerably in the years ****-**** going from circa *.* to **.* millions.
Number of Boutique and HLPV centers USA, ****-****, in millions Source: ****
A closer look into HVLPs
A segment of the fitness industry which has been transforming the existing offering of lower price gyms is HVLP studios. According to Ben Midgley – CEO of Crunch Franchise - these facilities are well equipped and offer a variety of classes which enables them to have a higher value proposition in the eyes of the end consumer.
Generally, a HVLP gym has a large structure and a number of additional amenities to the basic ones (***), for the lowest accessible price. Typically, indeed, the monthly membership of these gyms is ...
5 Regulation
5.1 Fragmented regulation
It is hard to establish general guidelines and principles concerning the regulatory framework of health clubs, as it varies greatly from state to state. Thus, the first step to take is to understand the required business permit and license to open a business in a specific state. A common point would be to comply with building permits and health department requirements, which though also differ at a national level.
Additionally, many states have introduced a mandatory legislation which requires the possession of an AED (***), which is a health device that will be used in case of heart attack. [***]
Indeed, when deciding to open ones’ own business and specifically a gym, various factors need to be taken into account:
Tax rates Licensing fees Labor costs
According to Investopedia, the three best cities to open a gym, following those parameters are:
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Salt Lake City, Utah
6 Positioning of the players
6.1 Positioning of Main Actors
In order to better visualize the data highlighted by the tables in section *.* and to grasp the differences between the two types of Fitness centers which are dominating the market (***) the following positioning map can be useful. The upper right corner – in which the most popular boutique studios are positioned – identifies high specialization and high prices, which reflects the positioning of those type of facilities. On the other hand, the lower left corner - in which the top three HVLPs are positioned - is characterized by low prices and low specialization which, as mentioned before, are the defining characteristics of these types of clubs.
- SoulCycle
- CrossFit
- Orangetheory
- Anytime Fitness
- Planet Fitness
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