How Hybrid Fitness is monetising the middle ground market

The fitness franchise has been sprinting to success, opening multiple gyms across the UK with plans to expand further

It’s been a quick-start year for Hybrid Fitness, a gym franchise that’s been targeting new locations while expanding its brand. In the process, it’s garnered high profile attention from athletes such as double gold Olympian Daley Thompson, who’s recently taken on the Hove and Wimbledon Hybrid Fitness branches.

“The past 12 months have been incredible, but it’s just the start of our growth,” says Ant Townsley, product development director at Hybrid Fitness. The franchise has already laid down roots in Loughborough, and recently opened a space in Canary Wharf. Openings are also scheduled in Reigate, Sutton, and Wimbledon. Meanwhile, I potential gyms in Putney, Loughton, and Hove are all currently in presale, with Manchester also in the pipeline.

It’s clear the franchise is building quickly, so what’s contributing to Hybrid Fitness fast becoming a heavy weight in the industry?

A new concept

Hybrid Fitness is aiming to tap into a gap within the fitness market by providing everything modern-day consumers have come to expect from gyms, with some of the additional elements from higher end, boutique clubs and studios.

“When we looked at the industry we essentially saw two camps: ultra expensive, boutique clubs and studios delivering high-end classes; and low cost, low thrill clubs with lots of equipment but little in the way of classes,” explains Townsley. “We’ve developed the middle ground, where members can get the best of both worlds with an affordable price tag.”

This offering has translated to a range of classes led by experts in the field as well as a space for gym-goers to work out independently with the latest equipment. It’s a premise that enables customers to have the freedom to work out in whatever way they see fit without paying a premium for high-quality services. So far, Hybrid Fitness’ approach has received an incredibly positive response.

“Opening an entirely new concept to any industry can be daunting and not without its ups, downs, and pitfalls, but we’ve received fantastic feedback and support from the fitness community,” says Mark Talley, managing director.

Collaborative franchise experience

Ant Townsley and the Hybrid Fitness franchise team have created a plan to see new clubs open and receive ongoing support. Franchisees can expect a slick and thought-out programme which covers everything including financing, property searches and acquisition, kit supply, fit-out, recruitment, marketing, advertising and day-to-day club management.

“We’re here to help our partners build a successful business for the long term,” says Townsley. “Our approach is to always be on hand, developing the club in a way that suits the business owner and stays flexible to local area needs and national events. Our Franchisees can run their business and take care of the day-to-day, but they get the full support from our centralised operations and marketing teams.”

Hybrid Fitness believes this approach is different to other players in the market and alongside its product offering, it’s collaboration that’s propelling the franchise’s success. PRODUCT AND VARIETY Strength and conditioning, hot yoga and combat classes alongside a high-spec gym are at the heart of Hybrid Fitness’ franchise offering. However, the brand provides a flexible model that can cater to a location’s needs and the franchisee’s personal goals.

“Everything we do is a collaboration. We have our core products but we have flexibility also,” says Townsley. “Through deep market research, we work with franchisees to build clubs that can cater to the local community, offer something different, and create a club that ticks owners’ personal wants without moving away from our core offering.”

This flexibility can extend as far as creating clubs that provide space for sports such as squash or padel. It really depends on what the franchisee is looking to highlight within their Hybrid Fitness branch.

Training

Every personal trainer goes through a training process delivered by an external provider, with training days built into the onboarding process. These training days help coaches to understand the Hybrid Fitness method, enabling them to deliver great classes and customer service.

Hybrid Fitness also delivers in-house programmed strength and conditioning classes to members which follow a structured 12-week schedule with testing built-in. All classes at Hybrid Fitness are delivered to customers by experienced and highly skilled coaches, creating an exciting and dedicated training environment.

Ambitious

There’s a lot on the horizon for Hybrid Fitness which has its sights set on several new locations in the coming months, followed by some soon-to-be announced clubs and partnerships.

Hybrid Fitness is also working on providing workshops covering fitness, wellness, nutrition, and health, allowing customers the opportunity to learn and get more from their memberships.

“The next steps are clear: continue our growth while continuing to maintain the highest in-club standards as well as spreading the word about our mission and our product,” confirms MD Mark Talley.

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