F45 Training

F45 Training is an Australian franchiser and operator of fitness centers based in Austin, Texas. It has around 1,600 studios in over 60 countries across Australia/Oceania, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The fitness franchise was launched in 2011 by Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsche. It was ranked the fastest growing fitness franchise in the US in 2021, one of the fastest globally. It has around 1,600 studios worldwide, including approximately 240 studios in Australia and about 1,000 studios in North America as of 2024.

History

In 2012, the first F45 studio was launched in Paddington, Sydney. It was here that Rob Deutsche took the time to work on the fitness model within the studio each day. After the success of its first studio, Deutsche enlisted the help of franchisee expert, Adam Gilchrist, who quickly became his business partner when they decided to franchise the F45 business. In 2013, Gilchrist and Deutsche 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 Paddington.

Off-shore expansion

In 2015, the duo sold their first off-shore franchise in New Zealand. This marked a two-year milestone of 250 franchises in the Oceania region. In 2015, Gilchrist and Deutsche 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 2019, Mark Wahlberg Investment Group and FOD Capital announced that they were buying a minority stake in the F45 business, the deal valued the company at US$450 million (AU$672 million).

In 2021, F45 launched FS8, offshoot gyms offering Pilates-yoga hybrid circuit-based training sessions. In 2022, it acquired Vive Active, a Pilates studio, which then became Vaura Pilates.

F45 Training went public in July 2021 with the company being valued at US$1.4 billion (AU$2.1 billion). F45, however, has since experienced a number of problems, with gym closures, falling stock prices, employees layoffs as part of its restructuring, and threats of lawsuits from investors. It later revealed that it lost $193.5M in 2021 and $178.8M in 2022, making a total of $372M loss over the two years. Gilchrist stood down as CEO in July 2022, and later replaced by Tom Dowd as CEO, while Mark Wahlberg was named as chief brand officer.

On August 15, 2023, F45 Training Holdings announced they have delisted from the NYSE after its share price fell by 75% and warnings were issued over its non-compliance on listing standards. In 2024, David Beckham sued F45 for breach of contract, alleging that he was not paid for his role as a global brand ambassador. The case was settled out of court.

Workouts

The name F45 refers to the 45-minute "functional" exercises offered in F45 gyms. The workouts in F45 gyms are a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with circuit training and functional training. All F45 workouts are given a name, and each one consists of a number of different exercises that are variations on the HIIT format, and the participants usually move through a series of stations with different exercise equipment in every workout. On some days the workouts may be focused on cardio exercises, on others they may be focused on strength and resistance.

A number of basic functional equipment are used within a relatively small space, and the equipment used varies from day to day depending on what type of session it is. Common equipment includes: mat, resistance band, bench, BOSU balance trainer, exercise ball, kettlebell, dumbbell, medicine ball, sandbag, battle ropes, weights, barbell, exercise bike, indoor rower, sled, and pull-up bars.

See also

*CrossFit
* Orangetheory Fitness
*Barry's (company)

References

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Gyms
Health clubs in Australia
Health care companies established in 2011
2011 establishments in Australia
Companies based in Sydney
2021 initial public offerings
Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange