F45 Training is an international fitness community that has over 1,750 studios in 45 countries across Australia/Oceania, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. It is currently one of the fastest growing fitness franchises globally, with over 550 in Australia and over 650 in the United States. The fitness franchise was launched in 2011 by Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsch as part of a move to modernize gym participation.
About
F45 offers thousands of exercises, customized training systems, circuit movement patterns, timing modules and workouts that change on a daily basis. Each F45 studio has access to these training systems. Integrated technology is a key aspect of the systematic aesthetic – with the same video workout demonstrations and F45 DJ playlists played across all studios. Its drawing capacity is its 45-minute session that combines high-intensity interval training, functional training and circuit training. The fusion of interval, strength and cardiovascular training is targeted at burning fat while building lean muscle.
Programs
Programs are constantly being created and changing, with more than 36 different workout experiences.
began as a popular fitness method in the early 2000s. Functional training aims to build functional strength through using a variety of different muscle systems. Its techniques are often used as a way for athletes to apply strength to a sport skill, without actually performing the sport-specific exercise or movement. A drawing card of functional training is its resourcefulness, using minimal equipment within a large space. It emphasizes movement rather than equipment – as conventional gyms tend to do.
Functional movement patterns
Functional training is great for building speed, agility, and improving cardiovascular health. It improves posture, increases range of motion, and is adaptable to any age or fitness level.
refers to the repetition of brief intermittent exercises with high levels of energy followed by quick resting periods. HIIT, or anaerobic interval training, aims to burn calories both during the intense workouts and post-workout due to elevated metabolism. The body expends energy after the workout as it continues to rebuild and repair body muscles and body fibers and replace the energy levels. The short intervals of high-intensity exercise require high levels of oxygen, which also increase the total caloric expenditure. Little or no equipment is needed to perform the exercises, making it an attractive financial option for many.
Circuit training
is a workout consisting of 6–12 exercise stations that target multiple body parts, performed consecutively with little to no rest. There are two common types of circuits—muscular strength and endurance, aerobic and strength. Circuit training aims to provide an overall body workout in a short amount of time, while being customizable to individual fitness levels through the selection of exercises and weight levels. It has benefits of both weight training and cardiovascular training, but does not duplicate either one specifically. Depending on the endurance levels and goals of the individual, the circuit can be completed one or more times until the session ends.
History
In 2012, the first F45 studio launched in Sydney's Paddington, New South Wales. It was here that Deutsch took the time to work on the fitness model within the studio each day. After the success of its first studio, Deutsch enlisted the help of franchisee expert, Adam Gilchrist, who quickly became his business partner when they decided to franchisee the F45 business. In 2013, Gilchrist and Deutsch sold their first F45, and in 2014 they began a franchise roll-out in Sydney with 15 franchises bought by members of the original F45 studio in Sydney's Paddington, New South Wales.
Off-shore expansion
In 2015, the duo sold their first off-shore franchise in New Zealand. This marked a 2-year milestone of 250 franchises in the Oceania region. In 2015, Gilchrist and Deutsch sold their first F45 studio in the United States, sparking a rapid US expansion. That same year, F45 also launched in India, with the help of Australian cricketer Brett Lee and Indian cricket legend VVS Laxman. The first store opened in Hyderabad — the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. This triggered an expansion with many more studios opening in major Indian cities, such as Bangalore, Chennai, Raipur and Gurgaon. In 2017, Gilchrist and Deutsch entered the United Kingdom with 50 franchises sold—35 of which opened in London, and 15 across Brighton, Bournemouth, Birmingham and Manchester. Between 2017 and 2018, F45 launched the beginning of its European growth strategy, opening studios in Finland, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Germany. F45 simultaneously increased its US presence through its Collegiate Program, which entailed a partnership between F45 and U.S. colleges in an effort to permeate the young influential group of individuals. In the first half of 2019, the fitness franchise secured a deal to open studios in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as in Kenya and Mauritius in Africa – taking their presence to over 40 countries. In June 2019, the fitness franchise launched Prodigy, a new training program for teens/adolescents.
Investment: global expansion
In 2019, Mark Wahlberg Investment Group and FOD Capital announced that they were buying a minority stake in the F45 business. It is reported that this investment will facilitate further global expansion for the company. The deal values the company at US$450 million. This is Wahlberg's third, and largest investment to date. In 2017 he invested US$6 million in StockX, an online marketplace that primarily sells premium in-demand sneakers. Previous to that, he invested US$10 million in performance water brand AquaHydrate.
Adam Gilchrist (Co-founder and CEO)
Adam Gilchrist, not to be confused with the former Australia national cricketer, is an entrepreneur with 20 years experience in franchising, marketing and product development. His first business was an e-payment service in Australia, which he later successfully sold to a public company. Gilchrist then founded Zippy Shell, a mobile self-storage company in the United States. In 2014, he co-founded F45 Training where he served as Co-chief executive officer. Gilchrist was also appointed to the F45 Training board of directors in 2017, and became sole chief executive officer in 2019. With a wealth of experience within the F45 business, his board service provides a direct and open channel of communication between the board and management. Adam Gilchrist's business acumen and skills in entrepreneurship and strategy have contributed to the brand's continuous growth. With an ingrained passion for fitness, Gilchrist also represented Australia in the Australian Schoolboy and U19 Rugby Teams and was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport.
Products and services
There are a number of different products and services that make up the F45 brand:
Team training
The 45-minute group workout classes are F45's main offering. Each workout is led by 2 trainers who are there to offer correctional support or modifications.
F45 Challenge
The F45 Challenge is based upon a holistic model that encompasses fitness, nutrition and lifestyle. It runs for 45 days and offers its members training and nutritional coaching through a digital app that includes daily meal plans and calorie tracking. There is also an option to receive delivered meals to your doorstep. Its drawing card is its rapid physical transformation, as well as the cash prizes for male and female participants. The before and after Challenge photos have become a notable aspect of the fitness brand, showcasing images of members' physical progress from the beginning and end of the Challenge. Their circulation on the web and around social media has been a key aspect of F45's marketing and engagement efforts.
Prodigy classes
Prodigy is an additional, more recent service offered by F45, designed to provide adolescents with greater strength, mobility and increased well-being. It is a group-based exercise class that caters for kids of different fitness levels and capabilities. Through teaching functional movements, it aims to increase motor skills to develop coordination, balance, and muscle strength, and to promote bone density and muscle development.
The franchise ranked 68th on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 in 2020, and 297th in 2019, as well as #13th on Entrepreneur's Fastest Growing Fitness Franchise 500 in 2020. They also were named one of Fast Company's 'Most Innovative Wellness Companies of 2020.'
