HCM Issue 7 2026

GLOBAL MEDIA PARTNER ISSUE 7 2026

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F I T N E S S , H E A LT H , W E L L N E S S

Harry AikinesAryeetey

LIFE LESSONS

Evgenia Koroleva

“I’m looking forward to the HCM Summit and being surrounded by people who share my passion”

The operators that win will be those that identify where consumers are moving

James Wilson

Midjourney Blurring the boundaries between fitness, spa and preventative healthcare

“The industry has a real opportunity to deliver sleep support”

Duncan Jefford R ON THE COVE

JACK EMMERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

www.HCMsummit.live

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ED ITO R’ S LE T TER

W

You’ve championed physical activity for decades. Now you have the chance to sweep away outdated thinking and put it at the heart of government and national renewal

e’ve been starved of visionary leadership in the UK for too long and we’re hopeful you can bring direction, energy and purpose back into our public life.

Central to this must be a plan to make the UK a global leader in the industries of the future, with this ambition embracing both service and manufacturing sectors.

Our education system needs to be aligned with this purpose, so people develop the skills and adaptability they need to power these sectors and build rewarding working lives. This will be critical to tackling the inequalities caused by joblessness and creating a strong economy across the whole of the UK. Many of the greatest opportunities lie in industries that give us the resilience to withstand climate, demographic and geopolitical shocks, such as water storage, flood mitigation, hydroponic farming, robotics, advanced materials, carbon capture, clean energy, diagnostics and precision medicine.

Fitness, health and wellness must also be recognised as one of Britain’s defining industries of the future.

As a major and highly effective part of the health economy, it’s uniquely positioned to reduce demand for public services through prevention, create export opportunities through the sale of expertise, products and services and enhance the productivity of every other industry by creating a healthier workforce.

Through its contribution to prevention, the sector also increases the number of healthy, economically productive years each citizen can contribute.

For all these reasons, fitness, health and wellness must be recognised as essential national infrastructure and a central pillar of the UK’s industrial strategy.

In Greater Manchester, you strongly supported a whole-system approach to health and physical activity, embedding prevention across public policy and demonstrating what determined, joined-up leadership can achieve when multiple agencies collaborate.

+4 4 (0)1462 431385

W W W. HCMmag.COM

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JACK EMMERSON

Dear Andy Burnham

Burnham: making physical activity a priority

Fitness, health and wellness must be recognised not as a peripheral sector, but as essential national infrastructure The country now needs that same ambition, conviction and resolve at national level, recognising that good physical and mental health is not simply an outcome of economic success, but one of its principal drivers.

You understand the transformational power of physical activity. Now you have the opportunity to put it at the heart of plans for national renewal.

Our sector belongs at the heart of this endeavour, working side by side with government to deliver prevention through proven expertise and delivery capability and the passion and energy that defines us.

Liz Terry, editor lizterry@leisuremedia.com

HCM@LEISUREMEDIA .COM

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HCMmag.com

CONTENTS

Uniting the world of fitness

JACK EMMERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

ISSUE 7 2026 No 352

4

03 Editor’s letter

22 Fit Tech news

With a prime minister who believes in the power of physical activity, the UK can take huge leaps forward, says Liz Terry

EGYM integrates with Wattbike for VO2 max testing and Garmin launches Cirqa

10 HCM forum Fitness has a vital role to play in cancer care, says the HFA’s Greta Wagner

Fitness First UK unveils makeover, X-Club opens flagship site and Places Leisure is building a £60 million wellness flagship

14 HCM zeitgeist

30 HCM collabs

Hyrox plans 10-day residencies, Les Mills creates a reformer workout and Anna Bjurstam launches Wahayla

Omnigym creates gym for the homeless and Hyrox chooses new charity partner

24 HCM buzz

18 HCM news

32 HCM people Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Virgin Active raises £175m, Planet Fitness sells Bravo Fit to recycle capital and Cult files for an IPO

The Everyone Active ambassador and Gladiators’ ‘Nitro’ talks about his upcoming appearance at this year’s HCM Summit

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EVERYONE ACTIVE

40 Duncan Jefford on taking the helm at Everyone Active

36 HCM people James Wilson The SleepGeek is creating courses so fitness professionals can train in sleep health

40 Interview Duncan Jefford The new MD of Everyone Active recently stepped into the role after 21 years with the business. He talks to Kate Cracknell about plans for growth

52 Everyone’s talking about Biophilic design As fitness and wellness increasingly overlap, interior design is evolving to better support health club members. We talk to the experts about the benefits

1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

EVERYONE ACTIVE

64 Sophie Lawler presents new industry insight

PURE GYM

80 The Republic of Ireland is primed for growth

32 Meet HCM Summit 2026 speaker, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

64 Progress report

80 ROI

Industry experts discuss the findings of a new consumer insight report commissioned

by Total Fitness CEO Sophie Lawler

The Republic of Ireland is the next frontier for growth, as Liz Terry reports

72 Here comes the future

Suppliers show how their specialised equipment has a real impact on glute health

A new hybrid wellness destination model has been developed for AI tech company Midjourney. HCM takes a closer look at the concept, which includes state-of-the-art body scanning

76 Life lessons Evgenia Koroleva

98 The curated life Hume takes personalised wellness to a new level in Venice Beach

112 HCM Directory 114 Research Feeling fresh Columbia University has established the optimum mix of work and movement ©Cybertrek 2026Evgenia Issue 7 2026 76 Life Lessons: Koroleva 5

ONE LDN / JOEL CHARLEY

The former banker and founder of One LDN has always self-financed her business. Now she’s raising funds for growth. She talks to Kath Hudson

88 Glute gains

Issue 7 2026 Volume 32 Number 352

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Issue 7 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

22 OCTOBER 2026

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London

GLOBA L EVENT

Fitness, health, wellness Excitement is building for the new all-keynote HCM Summit 2026 from HCM magazine and Spa Business magazine.

The event will bring together a powerful lineup of speakers to share insights and experience, with a focus on business success and innovation.

You’ll go away inspired and informed, with ideas to implement in your professional life, as well as valuable contacts and access to best practice to drive your success as we head into 2027.

Liz Terry HCM editor and CEO of Leisure Media

In addition to the summit talks, a carefully curated exhibition will showcase the latest innovations, while summit networking events, including the After Party, hosted by Les Mills, will give the opportunity to make new contacts and do business.

All this, along with product sampling, book signings and activations make the summit a powerful and useful event for the sector.

Platinum Partner

Gold Partner

Innovation Partner

Silver Partner

Bronze Partner

MEET THE SPEAKERS Chair Humphrey Cobbold

Alex Perry

Sondre Gravir

Chair, PureGym

CEO, Nuffield Health

CEO, SATS

Oliver Patrick

Anna Milani

Jonathan Fisher

CEO, Pillar Wellbeing

CEO, Brain & Fitness

CEO, Tribute Brands

Marc Diaper

John Oxley

PJ Nuitten

CEO, Fitness First UK

CEO, Life Leisure

CEO, Jims

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi

Duncan Jefford

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Lifestyle and TV doctor

MD, Everyone Active

GB sprinter, TV personality and You+ ambassador

CONTACT JAN WILLIAMS TO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS E: janwilliams@leisuremedia.com T: +44 (0)1462 471909

Book your tickets at www.HCMsummit.live/register

LETTERS

HCM Forum Fuel the debate about issues and opportunities across the industry.

We’d love to hear from you.

Write to forum@leisuremedia.com

Fitness professionals are well placed to help people rebuild their strength, confidence and independence following cancer treatment Greta Wagner, interim president and CEO, Health and Fitness Association There are more than 18 million people living with and beyond cancer in the US alone and this number is expected to grow significantly.

Nearly 70 per cent experience physical effects as a result of their treatment. Many of these effects can be reduced or prevented through targeted exercise, yet access to qualified exercise professionals and specialist programmes remains limited.

This represents both an urgent need and an important opportunity for the health and fitness industry.

Research shows that staying active before, during and after cancer treatment helps people maintain their strength and reduce treatment side effects, while supporting their emotional wellbeing.

We, therefore, need to bridge the gap between what the evidence tells us works and what people can access in their own communities.

The Health and Fitness Association has entered into a strategic partnership with the American Cancer Society to 10

Issue 7 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

help address this challenge by expanding access to safe, effective exercise oncology programmes.

The initiative has two strands.

The first is an awareness campaign highlighting the role physical activity can play during and after cancer treatment. The second is an Exercise Oncology Grants Programme, funded by the American Cancer Society and administered by the HFA Foundation.

The grants will support selected health and fitness facilities with staff training, programme development and the implementation of exercise oncology services. Participating clubs will also join a structured learning network, enabling them to share best practice and learn from one another as their services develop.

We’ll also provide educational resources, digital content and engagement opportunities to help fitness professionals understand how to work safely and effectively with people who are undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment.

HFA

Fitness has a vital role to play in cancer care

Greta Wagner

This isn’t about asking fitness professionals to step beyond their scope of practice or replace clinical care. It’s about giving appropriately trained professionals the skills, tools and confidence to become part of a wider support system centred on the needs of each individual.

Health clubs and fitness professionals are embedded in communities and are well placed to help people rebuild strength, confidence and independence, provided they have access to the right education, evidence and partnerships.

Physical activity should be recognised as a foundational component of health and recovery and exercise professionals have an increasingly important part to play across the continuum of care.

It would be justified to say the UK finally has a Prime Minister who ‘gets it’ and this will create opportunities for us to accelerate in the slipstream he creates

SHUTTERSTOCK / REPIC

YN ALLISON MART

Andy Burham in Downing Street, London on 20 July 2026

We must be bold in supporting Burnham Martyn Allison, industry observer and critical friend In 2009, I attended a CLOA meeting arranged to meet Andy Burnham, then Secretary of State at the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

He had worked through the positive relationships between physical activity, culture and health and wanted to embed his ideas in the health system. He needed to know how we could help him.

He was there to listen and learn as much as to share and was inspiring, not only because of what he said – which was visionary – but also because of how he behaved. He wanted to work with us by understanding our opportunities and challenges. He also clearly understood the link between setting policy and implementing it and the importance of leadership.

As he left, I turned to a colleague and said ‘I think we may have just met a future prime minister.’ Now that prediction has come true.

Since that day, I’ve watched his progress as Mayor of Greater Manchester and as I worked with Sport England – first on Best Value and health commissioning, then on leadership development and the birth of place working – it was no surprise to find Greater Manchester at the forefront of these developments.

The culture of cooperation across local government and partners was set by Richard Leese and Howard Bernstein before Burnham arrived, but as mayor he’s built on this culture to underpin the economic development of the region, the shift to a ‘place’ focus and the redesigning of the system towards delivering a common and shared agenda of living well.

His promise as Prime Minister of the UK to speed up and expand devolution and strengthen local government comes from a desire to repeat this success everywhere.

Martyn Allison

Over the coming weeks, we’ll learn what this means for the country as he wrestles with the same big issues – including constrained finances.

What will this mean for our sector?

We’ve seen Greater Manchester test the thinking we’re advocating through Uniting the Movement and Burnham has been central to this.

If you listen to Andy King’s Convenors Podcast with Andy Burnham and Haley Lever (www.hcmmag.com/KingBurnham), the vision of activity being central to prevention and tackling health inequalities comes across loud and clear, but so does his challenge to the sector to improve delivery.

It would be justified to say we finally have a Prime Minister who ‘gets it’ and this will create opportunities for us to accelerate in the slipstream he creates, but only if we’re bold enough to ask what we can do to support him. l ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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Go to www.HCMmag.com/signup to get breaking news alerts

Zeitgeist Kath Hudson distills the essence of the latest HCM news to tap the trends driving the direction of the sector

Dublin is new hotspot

TAP OR SCAN

AMPED FITNESS

Sophie Lawler shares her magic

http://lei.sr/V5C8X

Total Fitness CEO, Sophie Lawler, http://lei.sr/2j2S4_H has launched a side hustle. Growth Unbound is a new leadership coaching business running courses to help women realise their professional potential and to educate men in how to best manage and mentor female colleagues.

“Working with my team members equally, but differently, has really helped all our leaders unlock the potential of their entire teams,” says Lawler.

The new flagship has a reinvented gym layout Sophie Lawler is sharing her unique knowledge with the launch of a coaching business

Amped Fitness reveals new concept Amped Fitness has unveiled its most ambitious club to date. The flagship – in Sugar Land, Texas – introduces Amped Universe, a TAP OR SCAN concept that replaces the traditional gym layout with eight immersive, destination-themed environments, at a price high-value, low-price rate.

1FITLIFE

http://lei.sr/2z6u8_H

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EVERLAST GYMS DUBLIN

Everlast Gyms is blazing a trail in Ireland

Dublin, Ireland, is becoming the go-to destination for expanding companies. Netherlands-based Urban Gym Group has announced the acquisition of four Iconic Health Clubs in the city. PureGym says it will enter the market with a launch scheduled early next year and Everlast Gyms has just opened its first site – a 25,000 sq ft TAP OR SCAN facility above a Sports Direct store featuring a gym, contrast therapy, recovery, reformer Pilates and a Myprotein Kitchen. Find out more on page 80

HYROX

Hyrox expands capacity with 10-day residencies Hyrox is preparing to welcome two million participants in 2027 by extending weekend races into residencies lasting up to 10 days, allowing more athletes to get an entry as well as easing pressure on host venues. “We’re seeing unprecedented global demand for fitness racing,” says co-founder, TAP OR SCAN Christian Toetzke. “Every season demonstrates how quickly the sport is growing, with two million athletes expected to race this season and 100 race weekends across six continents.”

Residencies will create more capacity while controlling costs

http://lei.sr/p4M3P_H THE GYM GROUP

The Gym Group’s Loughborough club features the new design aesthetic

Gymnation unveils branded athleisure ranges

TAP OR SCAN

http://lei.sr/y8g3Q_H http://lei.sr/c9G3D_H

GYMNATION

Gymnation, has worked with its members to design a branded muscle thobe and ghutra, for pre- and postworkouts that resonates with the personal identify of gym members. A range for women will follow.

“We’ve been building a fitness community across the Gulf for eight years and this idea came from listening to them,” says CMO, Rory McEntee.

Members want garments that reflect their fitness identify

The Gym Group hits million member milestone The Gym Group hit a landmark target in H1 by reaching one million members. CEO, Will Orr, told HCM that Gen Z continues to drive growth: “Gen Z is the most active and engaged cohort of TAP OR SCAN fitness consumers. Our data shows that fitness and the gym are their number-one discretionary spend items. A month with us is the equivalent of a round of drinks.”

http://lei.sr/z6Y7x_H

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zeitgeist Battle for healthy food policy intensifies With UK obesity costs at £74.3bn a year, the Health and Social Care Committee is calling on the government to stand up to the food industry and exclude businesses selling less healthy products from discussion on policies about TAP OR SCAN food, diet and obesity prevention.

Food companies brought 235 lawsuits against governments in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the UK and US from 2010 to 2025.

Firefighters Games offers new allied sector for fitness industry More than 7,000 participants from 70 countries are expected to take part in 56 sporting disciplines at the World Firefighters Games this November.

There will also be a Health and Wellness Expo showcasing products and services TAP OR SCAN across functional fitness, occupational health, recovery, nutrition, and specialist training programmes designed to support health, performance and resilience.

The UK government is being called on to make a stand on UPF

http://lei.sr/q8B6A_H

Les Mills has launched a choreographed reformer Pilates workout

Les Mills launches reformer Pilates

http://lei.sr/6K3u4_H

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LES MILLS

Les Mills Reformer is now available in the form of a 45-minute workout blending traditional reformer moves and contemporary exercises, all choreographed TAP OR SCAN to music. Instructors do not need to be Pilates qualified to teach the class, as choreography, class structure and a safety coaching framework are delivered as part of their Les Mills training.

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WORLD FIREFIGHTERS GAMES

SHUTTERSTOCK_ALMO CREATIVE

http://lei.sr/3k2P7_H

The World Firefighters Games will involve competitors from 70 countries

France, Germany and the UK are the primary targets

Anytime Fitness reveals European expansion plans

PURPOSE BRANDS

As Anytime Fitness celebrates the launch of its 6,000th gym in Japan, parent company Purpose Brands has told HCM it’s targeting Europe for further expansion of both Anytime Fitness and Orangetheory Fitness brands.

Sander van den Born, chief international officer, Purpose Brands, says: “We’re established in Italy and Spain. We see an uptick in growth, TAP OR SCAN with Italy on track for 75 clubs by the end of the year and Spain well into the 60s. Our major untapped opportunities are France, Germany and the UK.”

http://lei.sr/8D9N2_H

LiftHer rethinks strength training for women

TAP OR SCAN

http://lei.sr/6x3y6_H

LiftHer is backed

by Founders Row

Anna Bjurstam is the founder of Wahayla

Bringing spirituality into wellness

SIX SENSES

LIFTHER

LiftHer is a new US-based, strength training concept backed by franchise experts at Founders Row and designed to inspire and empower women to strength train. Progressive programmes are led by instructors, with each participant having her own rack. Classes are limited to 14 women and DEXA scans are offered to measure progress.

“Women have outgrown being an afterthought in the weight room. LiftHer is built entirely for them,” says co-founder, Katherine Mason.

Newly founded by industry veteran, Anna Bjurstam, Wahayla promises to introduce a spiritual TAP OR SCAN dimension into fitness and wellness.

Bjurstam says connection and meaning are health interventions and it’s time the industry treated them as such.

http://lei.sr/G9R6y_H

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news roundup Virgin Active raises £175m to fuel growth

V

VIRGIN ACTIVE

irgin Active is raising £175 million from its existing shareholders to reduce debt and create capacity for its club refurbishment and new club pipeline.

Majority shareholder Brait will contribute £108 million – its pro-rata share of the capital raise – with the remaining funding coming from other shareholders. £140m of the proceeds will be used to reduce existing borrowings and the balance will be available to invest in further growth.

Virgin Active is raising funds to upscale its estate, build new clubs and reduce debt VIRGIN ACTIVE

Expansion will be focused in both new and existing markets, with a particular focus on Europe.

CEO, Dean Kowarski told HCM: “The £175 million equity raise is an important step in strengthening our balance sheet and allowing the group to focus resources on growth opportunities in the wellness industry.

The sector is enjoying structural

Dean Kowarski at the HCM Summit 2024 http://lei.sr/A8g3g

“The sector is enjoying structural tailwinds and we see exciting opportunities to accelerate growth” Dean Kowarski

tailwinds and we see exciting opportunities to accelerate growth in the premium wellness space, both in existing and new markets.”

Virgin Active’s South African and international TAP OR SCAN debt facilities are also being refinanced with the conversion shares into equity.

http://lei.sr/2q2T9_H

Cult files for an IPO to accelerate growth

I

CULT.FIT

Current Cult shareholders include Tata Digital, MacRitchie and Fitness First

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ndian health club operator and digital fitness platform, Cult, has filed papers for an IPO, as it prepares to accelerate expansion.

Cult operates a broad fitness and active lifestyle business encompassing corporate wellness services, health clubs, group exercise, online workouts, sportswear, fitness equipment and recovery products.

Consumer memberships are sold through the Cult.fit app, while Cultpass Corp provides employers with corporate fitness and wellness memberships for their staff. At the end of March 2026, it had a network of 708 fitness centres.

Its fitness operation includes trainer-led group exercise, full-service gyms and online workouts. The estate remains highly concentrated

in India’s largest urban markets, with 563 health clubs across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, with these generating 90 per cent of fitness-services revenue.

The growth strategy will focus on deepening its geographic and membership footprint, expanding through franchising and continuing to invest in its technology platform.

The IPO will comprise a fresh issue of shares, raising up to ₹9.bn (US$98.4m, £73.9m), alongside an offer for sale of up to 178,609,200 existing shares.

Cult plans to allocate ₹2.77bn (US$28.7m, £21.5m) to TAP OR SCAN new openings. Shares will be listed on the BSE and the National Stock Exchange of India. http://lei.sr/4V8K6_H

Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

J

apanese health and fitness operator, Renaissance, has completed the acquisition of eight clubs and swimming facilities from Tokyu Sports System, expanding its estate in Tokyo and the neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture.

The portfolio comprises five full-service Atrio Due Next health clubs, two smaller Atrio Light gyms and a swimming school.

The transaction is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Renaissance.

It was founded in 1979 as an internal venture at Japanese chemicals group DIC, initially operating an eight-court indoor tennis school.

Now listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Prime Market, the company has developed into a full-service health club business

and operates 330 sports, health, rehabilitation and outdoor fitness facilities, comprising 147 sports clubs and related facilities, including contracted operations, 86 outsourced facilities, 87 rehabilitation centres and nine Beach Town outdoor fitness locations. It also operates a club in Vietnam.

Renaissance has launched a five-year plan designed to improve the profitability of its conventional club estate.

The strategy includes closing unprofitable locations and services, reducing costs through digitalisation and repositioning clubs TAP OR SCAN as places that enhance members’ wider lives, rather than just being focused on exercise. http://lei.sr/3z6v7_H

SHUTTERSTOCK/NED SNOWMAN

Renaissance adds clubs to Japanese portfolio

Renaissance has added to its estate of 330 health clubs

Planet Fitness sells Bravo Fit to recycle capital

P

BRIDGET WOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

“We look forward to benefiting from Franchise Equity Partners’ expertise” Danielle Monroy

PLANET FITNESS

rivate investment company Franchise Equity Partners has acquired Bravo Fit, the Planet Fitness franchisee in Australia, from existing shareholders.

The deal marks Planet Fitness’ exit from its minority ownership position in Bravo Fit and provides the Australian franchisee with fresh capital to accelerate expansion, while allowing the US fitness giant to recycle funds into further international growth opportunities.

Bravo Fit operates 32 Planet Fitness clubs and holds exclusive area Planet Fitness is freeing up funds to launch in new world regions

development rights for up to around 100 more clubs across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, giving it one of the largest development pipelines in the Australian fitness market.

Bravo Fit’s management team will continue to lead the business.

CEO Danielle Monroy said: “We look forward to benefiting from Franchise Equity Partners’ expertise in scaling franchises as we work to open clubs faster, invest TAP OR SCAN in our team and bring the Planet Fitness brand and experience to more communities in Australia.” http://lei.sr/U3t4s_H

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news roundup UK Active lobbies for collaboration with PM

U

UK ACTIVE

K Active CEO, Cameron Saunders, has written an open letter to the new UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, congratulating him on his appointment and expressing a willingness to work with his government.

There is hope Burnham could be a gift for the sector, as he fully understands the importance of physical activity, as evidenced by his work in the DCMS and as Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Andy Burnham addressing the industry at the Active Uprising conference

JACK EMMERSON

He has also repeatedly advocated for integrating health aand fitness and sports facilities into primary care and recognised the sector as a driver of economic productivity.

In his mayoral role, he made systemic changes to get 75 per cent of the city’s population active by 2025, including investing in active travel infrastructure. During the

“I hope you will build on your track record” Cameron Saunders

pandemic he repeatedly lobbied for emergency relief funds.

In the letter, Saunders says: “I hope that these beliefs still ring true and you will build on your track record, helping TAP OR SCAN us to scale nationally your work embedding physical activity across Greater Manchester.”

http://lei.sr/5F3A3_H

FitActive targets up to 100 more clubs in Italy

I

FITACTIVE

FitActive has recently opened in Turin

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talian low-cost operator, FitActive, is targeting between 250 and 280 clubs in its domestic market, as it continues to expand across Europe and further afield.

Founder and CEO Eduardo Montefusco revealed the target in an interview by Corriere della Sera.

Montefusco said FitActive has around 180 clubs and approximately 452,000 members, with an international presence spanning Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Albania, North Macedonia and Brazil.

He revealed that the FitActive network generates aggregated revenue of €150 million, with an EBITDA margin of 19.76 per cent.

A 24-hour, low-cost model is offered, with CV and strength equipment, group exercise and

functional training. Other services include tanning, relaxation chairs, body composition analysis and nutritional support.

Members can use the wider FitActive estate, supporting the company’s strategy of developing a national network.

International growth has included the acquisition of Spanish low-cost operator KeasyFit and the launch of clubs in Barcelona and Alicante.

However, Montefusco said opening in overseas markets could require three to four times more capital than an equivalent development in Italy, due to lower TAP OR SCAN brand recognition and the absence of established relationships with local banks. http://lei.sr/7d4t6_H

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asic-Fit has reported a €23.6 million (US$26.9 million, £20.2 million) net profit for the first half of 2026, reversing a €7.9 million (US$9 million, £6.8 million) loss in the same period last year.

Revenue increased by 18 per cent to €800.3 million (US$911 million, £684 million), while underlying EBITDA less rent rose by 36 per cent to €204.2 million (US$233 million, £175 million).

The improvement reflects stronger performance from its maturing estate, although group growth was also supported by acquisitions and the addition of a franchise business following the purchase of Clever Fit in November 2025.

Including Clever Fit, Basic-Fit ended June with 2,192 owned and franchised

clubs and 6.05 million memberships.

Franchise revenue contributed €10.1 million (US$11.5 million, £8.6 million).

The company is preparing to launch a Basic-Fit-branded franchise proposition during the second half of 2026.

Its €52 million (US$59.2 million, £44.5 million) acquisition of German operator WellYou is the latest example of this strategy. The deal will add 41 owned clubs and is expected to complete during the third quarter.

CEO René Moos said the results demonstrated the operational leverage in the Basic-Fit business model, with revenue TAP OR SCAN growth translating into substantially faster earnings growth during this half year. http://lei.sr/G6k8w_H

WELLYOU

Basic-Fit posts profit as it prepares to franchise

Basic-Fit’s Wellyou deals closes in Q3

LifeFit Group expands in southern Germany

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LIFEFIT GROUP

“We’re closing a geographical gap in our network” Christophe Collinet

FITNESS SIGMARINGEN

he LifeFit Group continues its buy and build strategy with the acquisition of the Fitness Sigmaringen club in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Since its launch in January 2024, the club has built a strong membership base. Spanning 1,900sq m of training space, it features a modern aesthetic and state-of-the-art equipment that closely aligns with Fitness First standards, providing the ideal conditions to be integrated as a Fitness First Red club.

The existing Hyrox partnership will be maintained, the functional

Fitness Sigmaringen has been added to LifeFit Group’s portfolio

training area will be expanded, and a Booty Zone and members’ lounge will be added.

This is seen as a strategically valuable addition. Christophe Collinet, LifeFit Group’s chief commercial officer, said: “We’re closing a geographical gap in our network and strengthening our presence in South-Eastern Baden-Württemberg.

“Michael Maute [one of the former owners] enjoys an excellent

reputation within the fitness industry, and we are delighted that he has entrusted us with this project, which is clearly close to his heart.”

The transaction follows LifeFit Group’s high-profile acquisition of regional gym chain Just Fit in March, which bolstered its presence across Cologne and the surrounding North Rhine- TAP OR SCAN Westphalia region. The integration of those sites is currently underway. http://lei.sr/8s6x5_H

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news roundup Garmin launches screen-free Cirqa Smart Band

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GARMIN

armin has launched a screen-free (and subscription free) fitness tracker aimed at users who want detailed physiological insights without the distractions of a smartwatch.

The Cirqa Smart Band collects health and fitness data around the clock and syncs it to the Garmin Connect app, where users can review insights into their health metrics, such as, heart rate variability, sleep and training.

The device measures a range of physiological metrics, including heart rate, Body Battery energy levels, stress, skin temperature, pulse, respiration and sleep quality.

Sleep analysis includes sleep stages, heart rate variability, sleep score, nap detection and recovery insights, while women’s health features include menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking.

With a separate subscription, skin temperature data can also be used with the Natural Cycles fertility app.

Garmin taps the screen free trend with its new Cirqa Smart Band

For fitness users, Cirqa automatically detects and records activities, with Garmin saying its classification accuracy improves over time as users confirm or edit workouts within the app.

More than 80 activities can also

be tracked manually, including running, walking and yoga.

Performance-focused TAP OR SCAN metrics include training readiness, VO2 max, HRV, training status, recovery time and workout benefit. http://lei.sr/9Y6v8_H

EGYM integrates Wattbike for VO2 max tests

WATTBIKE

Wattbike has joined the EGYM ecosystem

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VO2 max estimates without invasive gas analysis and extra operational cost. This integration will allow operators to enhance member onboarding, drive deeper personalisation and create a more motivating training environment.

Members can see their output clearly and track their improvements.

“Wattbike is excited to join the EGYM family of connected partners,” says Steve Marshall, Wattbike’s head of commercial. “We bring over a decade of experience in delivering VO2 max estimate testing in labs and gyms globally and we’re thrilled to combine with EGYM to bring this credibility to the EGYM ecosystem globally.”

Tino Tsolakis, vice president partner relations at EGYM says:

WATTBIKE

W

attbike has announced a new integration with EGYM, which enables the bikes to contribute to the EGYM Cardio BioAge score of individuals via a VO2 max result.

The Wattbike Healthspan VO2 max check test gives accurate

“Wattbike is excited to join the EGYM family of connected partners” Steve Marshall

“Wattbike is globally recognised as a leader in performance cycling and cardiorespiratory assessment.

This integration gives operators another powerful TAP OR SCAN tool to deliver highly personalised experiences and measurable health outcomes.” http://lei.sr/7A2z3_H

STRENGTH

Discover more at MatrixFitness.com matrixfitness | matrixfitness.com | UK 01782 644900

buzz

Fitness First UK unveils club makeover with recovery and reformer Pilates

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itness First UK has raised the bar with its latest refurbishment, in Highbury, London, as it continues to premiumise its estate.

This is the fifth refurbishment completed since August 2025 – following on from London Bridge, Queens Park, Balham and Fenchurch Street – and has the most comprehensive recovery area to date.

Facilities include a red light therapy room, with a professional-grade bed by Bon Charge. A second plunge pool has been added on the pool deck so different temperatures can be offered. There’s also percussion and compression therapy and an activation area.

All clubs feature EGYM equipment and Bioage Assessment, branded for Fitness First as ‘Able’.

Able is offered for beginners and progressive beginners and Able Pro has been created for intermediate and the more advanced members.

In the gym there’s an increased strength offering with Life Fitness / Hammer Strength equipment, a new Technogym cardio line-up and a dedicated Hyrox / functional training space.

Five new categories of classes are on offer in the group exercise studio – strength, cardio, cycle, mind and body and fight – alongside existing classes including Les Mills and yoga.

Reformer Pilates has been introduced, with a PILAT3S reformer studio. This is currently offered as part of the membership in the higher-tier clubs.

The roll-out will also include clubs in the lower tiers and this will be an additional cost per class for members, with the option to upgrade.

CEO, Marc Diaper, told HCM: “Our offering will evolve with each refurbishment to ensure we’re staying ahead of where we believe things are going. Future

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FITNESS FIRST

www.HCMsummit.live Marc Diaper will be a keynote speaker at the HCM Summit 2026

The club now has a dedicated Hyrox area

“Our offering will evolve with each refurbishment to ensure we’re staying ahead of where we believe things are going” Marc Diaper clubs will be design-led and where space allows’ll offer co-working/social areas and fuel bars as well.

“We have a longer term vision of what the consumer will want over the next five years and this is the start of the evolvement of our offering. The take-up on these new offerings have exceeded expectations so far and we have several more refurbishments and club extensions planned across the next 18 months.

“We’re also in legals on two new sites and TAP OR SCAN have agreed Heads of Terms on another, all of which are in London but we’re also open to exploring other areas of the UK.”

http://lei.sr/8g4D7_H

FITNESS FIRST

FITNESS FIRST

Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

Fitness First UK has unveiled its latest refurbished club with more strength, recovery and reformers from PILATE3S

buzz

Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

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X-CLUB

The Marylebone club offers a gym alongside group exercise and Pilates studios

X-Club launches flagship with mind, movement, nutrition and therapy

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“Opening our flagship Marylebone club marks an exciting new chapter for X-Club” Amanda Baracho

X-CLUB

uxury boutique Pilates and wellness studio, X-Club, has launched a 4,000sq ft flagship in London.

Built around X-Club’s four pillars of wellness – mind, movement, nutrition and therapy – the facility features two group exercise studios, a reformer Pilates studio and a mat-based studio offering classical Pilates, yoga, HIIT, and sound healing.

There’s also a next-generation Body Conditioning Lab offering solo member access, physiotherapy, and personal training. A separate therapy room accommodates sports massage and rehabilitation, vanity and recovery services as well as an infrared sauna.

“Opening our flagship Marylebone club marks an exciting new chapter for X-Club,” says co-founder, Amanda Baracho. “We’ve created more than a fitness destination – we’ve built a space where movement, recovery and community come together to support every aspect of wellbeing.”

The site is in Loxton Walk, a shopping and leisure destination – comprising 27,200sq ft of retail, restaurant around a central courtyard.

X-Club has partnered with luxury lifestyle partners, including Oysho, ESPA, Ripple+, MoveActive, Form and Oshun.

Founded in 2021 by Amanda Baracho and Steph Davidge, X-Club has four locations in TAP OR SCAN London – at V in Mayfair; at Soho House in White City, Shoreditch and Notting Hill.

The brand also offers training for Pilates instructors in partnership with Active IQ.

One-to-one Pilates sessions and physiotherapy are offered

X-CLUB

sdf Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

X-CLUB

Marylebone is the latest London location for X-Club

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buzz

Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

Roberts Limbrick is building a £60 million wellbeing flagship for Places Leisure

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laces Leisure has exchanged contracts to build and operate a flagship £60 million water and wellness destination on behalf of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. This will be the biggest investment in wellbeing the borough has seen in decades.

The landmark facility will replace Basingstoke Aquadrome. Subject to planning permission, the complex will be built in a new location on the site, enabling the existing Aquadrome to remain open until the new facility is complete.

Places Leisure is working with Roberts Limbrick Architects to finalise the designs for the energy-efficient complex, ahead of submitting a planning application in Q3 this year, with an anticipated opening date of 2029. The designs have been shaped by extensive public feedback.

Plans include a gym, fitness studios, reformer Pilates studio, padel courts and indoor play, including Clip ‘n Climb. There will also be a 25-metre, eight-lane competition pool, a teaching pool, flumes, a party rooms and a cafe.

Dan Walker, business development director at Places Leisure, says: “The new landmark destination will deliver significant opportunities to improve the health and

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PLACES LEISURE

Places Leisure has won new contracts in Basingstoke

wellbeing of the entire community. Places Leisure will be bringing its expertise and experience to this project to deliver a high-quality and community-focused facility.”

The agreement also sees Places Leisure become the new operator of Basingstoke Aquadrome, Basingstoke Golf Centre and Tadley Health and Fitness Centre from Friday 1 January 2027.

Cabinet member for major projects and business engagement Councillor Onnalee Cubitt says the development will be exceptional: “This is one of the most exciting milestones our borough has reached in many years. It marks the beginning of a new era for leisure, health and wellbeing in Basingstoke and will redefine leisure in North Hampshire. We’re investing in a vibrant destination that will inspire people of all ages to be more active, healthier and happier.

“The new complex will also play an important role in the wider transformation of our leisure park. Alongside our ambitions for new attractions and TAP OR SCAN experiences, it will strengthen the park as a place where people choose to spend more time, delivering lasting benefits for local businesses, the economy and our community.”

Places Leisure is creating a landmark facility in Basingstoke

Get live news at www.HCMmag.com

PLACES LEISURE

ROBERTS LIMBRICK ARCHITECTS

PLACES LEISURE / ROBERT LIMBRICK

“The landmark destination will deliver significant opportunities to improve the health and wellbeing of the entire community” Dan Walker

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PLACES LEISURE

The £60 million centre will replace the Aquadome

Collabs Omnigym creates gym for homeless shelter

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OMNIGYM

innish outdoor fitness equipment specialist, Omnigym, has partnered with charity, Emmaüs Solidarité, to launch an outdoor gym installation at a homeless shelter in Paris.

The gym at the Emmaüs Solidarité shelter, on Boulevard Pereire in Paris, includes four pieces of outdoor equipment, available for use by the 209 people living at the shelter.

Omnigym is keen to break down the barriers to activity for people who are often excluded from it. “Access to physical activity should not depend on income or personal circumstances. We want Omnigym has installed an outdoor gym at the Emmaüs Solidarité shelter VILMANOROKORPI

to democratise physical training and make it accessible to everyone.

This initiative addresses a need that is often overlooked,” says Kirsti Laasio, CEO of Omnigym.

According to a recent WHO report on physical activity in the EU, 45 per cent of people never exercise and low levels of physical activity are particularly prevalent among

“Access to physical activity should not depend on income or personal circumstances” Kirsti Laasio

disadvantaged groups in society, making homeless communities an important place to start.

Lotfi Ouanezar, director general at Emmaüs Solidarité, says that physical activity can have TAP OR SCAN a positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of people in vulnerable situations. http://lei.sr/b5r7F_H

Hyrox offers charity spots in sold-out races

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HYROX

Hyrox is offering charity spots in this coming season

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yrox has announced it will be working with a second charity in the upcoming season and offering charity spots in sold-out races.

Its chosen charities are Macmillan Cancer Support along with a new partnership in the UK – High Impact Athletes (HIA), through the Race for Impact initiative.

This funds independently vetted charities tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges, across mental health, global health, women’s empowerment, animal welfare and climate solutions.

The ticketing process will give athletes the option to race through either charity, giving the chance to secure spots in sold-out races. The

minimum fundraising targets in order to race are £400 for singles; £800 for doubles and £1200 for the relay.

To date, the Hyrox community has raised more than £9.5 million for Macmillan, which is enough to support the three frontline teams on the Macmillan Support Line for almost ten months.

Moritz Fürste, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Hyrox says: “Hyrox is rooted in community, and our charity partners are a huge part of that. Extending our journey with Macmillan TAP OR SCAN Cancer Support was a natural next step, given the incredible effect it has across the UK.

http://lei.sr/r5J5w_H

E TH E E V AT SA D

16-17 JUNE 2027 EXCEL | LONDON

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HCM PEOPLE

HCM people

www.HCMsummit.live Harry Aikines-Aryeetey will be a keynote speaker at the HCM Summit 2026

The HCM Summit is a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from others and explore what the future holds for our industry

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

EVERYONE ACTIVE

Gladiators’ ‘Nitro’ and You+ Ambassador

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EVERYONE ACTIVE

The Gladiator believes fitness builds people’s confidence

Tell us about your work with Everyone Active and the purpose driving it.

I’ve used Everyone Active facilities throughout my athletics career, so I’ve seen firsthand the important role local community leisure centres play in helping people stay active and healthy.

Becoming an ambassador for Everyone Active was a natural next step for me and I’m proud to be working with an organisation that’s leading the way in making wellness more accessible for everyone, with its You+ membership.

I’m also an Elite Athlete on Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, which provides young athletes with free access to their state-of-theart training facilities and specialised mentoring from world-class athletes. The programme now helps more than 1,600 athletes across the country, giving them the support they need to develop and achieve their sporting ambitions.

share my passion. It’s a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from others and explore what the future holds for our industry.

It’s an exciting time for the sector, and I’m delighted to be representing Everyone Active as part of those conversations.

You’re joining us at the HCM Summit this year. What are you most looking forward to?

Health and fitness has always been a huge part of my life, so I’m really looking forward to the HCM Summit and being surrounded by people who

Can the industry can learn from the way Gladiators connects with people?

I think Gladiators shows that fitness should be fun, inclusive and something people want to be part of. It’s not just about performance, it’s about

It’s an exciting time for the sector, and I’m delighted to be representing Everyone Active as part of those conversations

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HCM PEOPLE

building confidence, creating positive experiences and showing people what they’re capable of.

If you could give one message to the leaders of the fitness industry about how we inspire the next generation to move more, what would it be?

Make movement exciting and accessible. If we can help young people enjoy being active and associate exercise with confidence, community and fun, we can create habits that last a lifetime.

When delegates meet ‘Nitro’ at the HCM Summit, what can they expect?

They can expect energy, a few laughs and hopefully some inspiration.

Nitro is the Gladiators character people know, but behind that is my personal journey as an athlete, and I’m looking forward to sharing stories and connecting with people who are passionate about getting more people active.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

Gladiators’ ‘Nitro’ is also a worldclass athlete

If we can help young people enjoy being active and associate exercise with confidence, community and fun, we can create habits that last a lifetime.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

ABOUT HARRY AIKINES-ARYEETEY Harry Aikines-Aryeetey is a former Team GB Olympian, three-times European champion and two-times Commonwealth champion whose career has spanned elite sport, broadcasting and business.

One of Britain’s fastest ever sprinters, he made history as the first athlete to win both the 100m and 200m

titles at the World Youth Championships, before going on to represent Great Britain on the world stage and win multiple international relay medals.

Since retiring from elite athletics, Aikines-Aryeetey has built a successful media career, becoming widely known as Nitro in the BBC’s reboot of Gladiators.

He also competed in the 2024

series of Strictly Come Dancing, further raising his public profile.

Alongside his television work, he’s a motivational speaker, performance coach and entrepreneur, drawing on his experience of high-performance sport to help individuals and organisations build resilience, develop winning mindsets and unlock their potential. ●

Aikines-Aryeetey is one of Team GB’s fastest ever sprinters

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HCM PEOPLE

The fitness industry has a real opportunity to make sleep support a valuable part of the service it already provides

James Wilson founder, Sleepunity

How did you become The Sleep Geek?

My family made beds and mattresses, yet in spite of this, I’ve always been a poor sleeper. When I joined the family business, we employed a sleep expert who gave very prescriptive advice that I found patronising. Sitting on the receiving end made me think there had to be a better way of helping people, so I trained as children’s sleep practitioner and initially specialised in helping teenagers to sleep.

Since then I’ve spent more than a decade building my knowledge and experience, working with poor sleepers of all ages, as well as organisations and elite sports teams.

Sleep isn’t about giving everyone the same advice.

It’s about understanding the person, the life they’re living and the pressures they’re under, then helping them find an approach that works for them. That’s the coaching philosophy I’ve built my career around.

PICTURE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHY

How does sleep impact our health?

Sleep is the number one recovery tool available to athletes. It supports physical recovery after training, helps consolidate learning and skill acquisition, improves decision making under pressure and plays a vital role in emotional regulation.

Sleep sits alongside food, water and air as one of our most fundamental biological needs. It’s where

Falling asleep immediately can be a sign of sleep deprivation

Sleep plays a vital role in emotional regulation

Why is sleep quality deteriorating across society?

Public awareness of sleep has never been higher but many people feel they’re sleeping worse than ever. One reason is that we’ve turned sleep into another wellness project.

Unlike nutrition or exercise, the harder you try to make sleep ‘happen’, the more elusive it can become.

Sleep is a state that comes to us when the conditions are right. It’s not something we can force or chase.

If we approach sleep as something to conquer or control, we often create more pressure, and more pressure is usually the last thing a poor sleeper needs.

How about sleep disorders?

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a breathing disorder in which the airway repeatedly closes during sleep causing interrupted sleep and exhaustion.

It's believed to impact around 10 million people in the UK, yet only around one million have been diagnosed, leaving around nine million people living with the condition without knowing it.

It’s commonly assumed that the symptoms are loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness and that it only impacts males with a high BMI, but this isn't the case and means many women are dismissed by their GPs, as their symptoms – such as insomnia, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety or low mood – tend to be interpreted as being associated with the menopause.

GETTY IMAGES / UNSPLASH

we physically recover, where our brain clears waste toxins that build up during the day, where memories are processed and consolidated, and where many of the emotional experiences from the day are worked through. When we put sleep first, other healthy behaviours, such as eating and exercise, become easier.

We also know that sleep doesn’t exist in isolation.

For example, research shows that if someone is living with both insomnia and depression, treating the insomnia with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) can improve both their sleep and their depression symptoms more effectively than treating the depression alone.

Do we inherit our sleep patterns or are they shaped by our lifestyle?

Genetics plays an important role in our sleep, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

We inherit things such as our chronotype – whether we’re naturally more of a lark or an owl – and genetics also influences how much sleep we need, how resilient we are to sleep loss and our predisposition to certain sleep disorders. Some people are also naturally more vulnerable to anxiety or stress, which can have a knock-on effect on sleep. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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HCM PEOPLE

As a coach, I see genetics as part of someone’s context rather than their destiny. There’s more flexibility in our sleep than many people realise. Most people don’t have one perfect bedtime or an exact number of hours they have to sleep, we all have a range that our body can comfortably work within.

Do we need fitness professionals to train as sleep coaches?

I’ve recently been involved with CIMSPA in developing the professional standards for sleep support because I was seeing more and more courses promising to turn someone into a sleep coach after just a few hours of training. Sleep is far too important and complex for that.

Fitness professionals are already highly skilled behaviour change coaches. They have trusted relationships with their clients and are often in a much better position than anyone else to spot when poor sleep is affecting someone’s health, recovery or ability to achieve their goals.

There’s an opportunity to give fitness professionals enough knowledge to understand normal sleep, recognise when something may indicate a sleep disorder, know the limits of their own practice and confidently signpost people to the right support when it’s needed.

Sleep coaching requires a different mindset to many other areas of coaching. You can’t motivate someone to sleep in the same way you can encourage them to lift another weight or run another mile. Helping someone sleep better often means reducing pressure rather than increasing it.

ABOUT JAMES WILSON As The Sleep Geek, (www.thesleepgeek. co.uk) James Wilson works with corporate clients on sleep-related projects and also delivers one-to-one coaching.

His company, Sleepunity, works with fitness professionals, awarding organisations and training providers to develop effective sleep education that meets relevant professional standards (www.sleepunity.org).

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If we build high quality training and clear professional standards, I think the fitness industry has a real opportunity to make sleep support a valuable part of the service it already provides, while knowing when specialist input is needed.

Is sleep tech monetising insomnia?

There are some excellent products coming onto the market, but there are also plenty that promise far more than the evidence supports.

Too many products are designed around the idea that there’s one solution to every sleep problem, when sleep doesn’t work like that.

Zeus is a good example of product development with a clear purpose. The team behind it has worked with sleep experts, produced evidence to support its use and been clear about who it’s designed to help. If your snoring is caused by the tissues in your throat or tongue vibrating, it may well be beneficial,

I encourage people to look at sleep trends over two or three weeks rather than obsessing over one sleep score

but if your snoring has a different cause, it’s less likely to help. That’s honest product development.

I become concerned when products or techniques are marketed as cures for problems they haven’t been shown to treat. Mouth taping is probably the best example. It has become incredibly popular online, yet the evidence that it treats obstructive sleep apnoea is very weak. In fact, one of my concerns is that people with undiagnosed sleep apnoea may delay seeking the assessment and treatment they need because they’ve been led to believe a simple product is the answer.

What do you think about measuring sleep?

The most important thing is that tech supports your understanding of your sleep rather than replacing it.

Some people find sleep trackers reassuring. They’re curious about data and can use it to spot trends without becoming attached to what happened on a single night. For them, a tracker can be a useful tool.

UNSPLASH/KNILUN

Sleep devices such as the Somnox are coming to market

For most poor sleepers, the opposite is true.

If they wake up feeling reasonably good but their tracker tells them they had a terrible night’s sleep, they often trust the tracker more than they trust themselves. That can create unnecessary worry and put even more pressure on sleep the following night.

Sleep trackers also have their limitations. They’re much better at identifying patterns over time than judging the quality of a single night’s sleep, which is why I encourage people to look at trends over two or three weeks rather than obsessing over one score.

As a coach, tracker data is just one piece of the jigsaw. I’m just as interested in how someone feels at 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning, whether they’re building enough sleep pressure during the day, how long they’re taking to fall asleep – falling asleep immediately can be a sign of sleep deprivation – and whether they’re remembering long periods when they're awake during the night. l ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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I NTERV I E W

JACK EMMERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

We’ve proven that commercial success and community impact go hand-in-hand

Jeff ord is aiming to build turnover from £405 million to £600 million in fi ve years

Duncan Jefford

www.HCMsummit.live Duncan Jefford will be a keynote speaker at the HCM Summit 2026

The new managing director of Everyone Active stepped into the role recently, after 21 years with the business. He talks to Kate Cracknell

Tell us about your Everyone Active milestones

brings together digital, physical and wellbeing support – including a lot of online education.

The way we worked with local authorities during COVID was also key to our success today. We took a partnership approach rather than getting caught up in legal arguments about who was responsible for what. That enabled us to come quickly out of the blocks after the pandemic, putting us in a strong position to actively pursue new opportunities.

We won a significant amount of business in 2021–22 and, with local authority contracts generally lasting 10–15 years, we’re still benefiting from it today.

Recovery has become part of the mix

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EVERYONE ACTIVE

Let’s start with the numbers to get an overview of the journey.

I joined Everyone Active in 2005 and became regional director for the south-east in 2006, at which point the south-east region was turning over £12m and operating around 10 sites. By the end of our last financial year, that had grown to £207m turnover and around 125 sites.

The wider business followed a similar trajectory – in 2006, Everyone Active was operating around 30 sites and generating a turnover of approximately £30m. Today, we’re managing around 260 sites and turnover is £405m.

There have been a number of key moments along the way, including the financial crash of 2008. We traded very well throughout that period and it reinforced the strength of our model. Consumers saw our high-quality facilities and our affordable price point and recognised the value in what we offer. That holds true today as our sector navigates another sustained period of economic turbulence.

COVID was obviously another defining moment – one that forced us to innovate. We’d had a digital platform before the pandemic, but it wasn’t where it needed to be. With all our centres suddenly closed, we stepped on the accelerator and, within five months, had moved forward five years from a digital standpoint.

The Everyone on Demand platform we built during the pandemic still exists today, but we’ve repurposed it to launch You+, our wellness membership, which

EVERYONE ACTIVE

I NTERV I E W

The business is looking to diversify beyond local authorities

What has kept you in post for so long?

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I’m as interested in the sector now as I was when I first joined Everyone Active, which back then was operating as SLM. At that point, I’d spent five years in the private sector – at Fitness Exchange – and was looking at various opportunities. But it was the challenge of the public sector that really appealed to me: balancing commercial performance with community outcomes, public health objectives and local political priorities, often across a very diverse estate. I’ve always enjoyed the politics and complexity of this sector.

The other thing is that the Everyone Active business has never stood still. In local authority leisure, you’re constantly bidding for new contracts, taking on new facilities and working with new local authorities. We bid on around 20 tenders a year and since 2010, have averaged around one contract win for every 2.5 bids.

Growth has been a constant and that’s very exciting.

under enormous financial pressure and many still manage leisure services in-house. Particularly if we see the expected local-level shift towards more centre-right politics over the next few years, I believe we will see a rise in outsourcing. Quite simply, our commercial expertise and economies of scale mean we can manage facilities cheaper than the authorities can manage them themselves.

We therefore expect a lot of our growth to continue to come from local authority leisure.

However, moving forward, it won’t only be Englandbased local authorities, as has traditionally been the case at Everyone Active, we’ll be looking further afield.

Additionally, we’ll be looking to diversify beyond local authorities. I don’t want to go into too much detail at this stage – I’d rather do it than talk about it – but we’re certainly looking carefully at where future growth is likely to come from and expect to expand beyond the traditional core of our business.

Is that growth set to continue?

Let’s talk about the local government review

We currently operate around 260 sites and believe we can reach around 400 in the next five years; we’ve outlined a goal of exceeding £600m turnover in that timeframe. We’ve already expanded our business development team, too, adopting a longer-term focus so we can be more strategic in what we bid on.

We certainly believe the wider market supports our ambition. Local authorities are

This is probably one of the most fundamental changes in local politics since councils first began outsourcing services in the 1980s, reshaping how public leisure is structured and delivered.

You’re effectively going to see the number of local authorities halve, which has huge consequences for procurement. Contracts that might previously have been worth £3m–5m could suddenly become

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What about organic growth?

I believe participation – and with it, membership of our existing facilities – has considerable room to grow.

The latest Evolve [formerly Leisure DB] figures put market penetration at 17.6 per cent. Personally, I’d be surprised if that figure weren’t closer to

Everyone Active has ambitious growth plans, says Jeff ord

I refuse to sit back and watch the private sector define consumer expectations ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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worth £20m or more. For larger operators like us, that creates opportunity. But for smaller operators, it introduces significant risk; those contracts may simply be too large for them to bid for.

We’ve already seen good operators such as Fusion Lifestyle and Active Nation go into administration – a huge shame not only for them, but for the sector as a whole – and sadly I think we’ll see more.

I believe things will only get tougher, particularly when you layer on pressures such as rising utility and National Insurance costs and wages at an all-time high.

Ultimately, the sector is being squeezed and with little scope in the current economic climate to pass on costs to members, even larger operators are having to cut their cloth accordingly. For smaller players, it may prove too much. I expect to see more consolidation.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

The business averages one contract win for every 2.5 bids

I NTERV I E W

If government is serious about prevention, our sector should be a much bigger part of the conversation 25 per cent within the next five years, because coming out of COVID, people are far more aware of their physical and mental health, which is creating a significant opportunity for the whole sector.

We’re certainly seeing a very clear shift towards wellness. People still want to lose weight, get fitter and improve traditional health metrics, but increasingly they’re also interested in recovery, nutrition, sleep, stress management and overall wellbeing. Hence the launch of our You+ membership tier in January 2025.

We already have more than 65,000 You+ members – 15 per cent of our member base – signed up and we’re targeting 100,000 by the end of this financial year.

In October, we’ll run our first dedicated You+ month, with every one of our 16,500 colleagues due to go through the process. We’ll also encourage all our members, whatever membership they’re on, to do the same. We want as many people as possible to understand their biological age, the markers that sit behind it and how they can improve it, whether that’s through recovery, fitness, lifestyle or other aspects of health.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

BY NUMBERS Pools

Gyms

How are you approaching weight loss drugs?

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I genuinely believe these are one of our sector’s greatest opportunities. Some operators see them as a threat, because so many people join gyms to lose weight. I understand that concern, but I think it’s the wrong way to look at it.

Many of the people using these medications would never previously have considered joining a gym, but as they lose weight and become more confident, their willingness to engage with exercise changes: we’re seeing a lot of new people coming into our facilities.

Then you look at the numbers. Very conservative estimates suggest there are currently 2.5 million

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Everyone Active manages the London Aquatics Centre

Colleagues

16,500 Gym visits/year

12,559,000 Turnover

PTs

935

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£405,000,000

Sites

260 Customer visits/year

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We’re launching a two-way partnership with a pharmacy provider for the delivery of weight loss drugs to members people in the UK on weight loss drugs. Once the pill format arrives, I can easily see that number reaching 10 million – around 20 per cent of the adult population.

We can choose to view this as a threat. Or we can acknowledge it as an unprecedented opportunity and work out how to support these individuals.

That’s why, through our You+ membership, Everyone Active provides nutritional guidance in partnership with Nutrable, as well as training programmes designed to build and maintain lean muscle, as it’s muscle mass that helps people avoid weight regain at the end of their journey with weight loss drugs.

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What more are you doing in this area?

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We want to be even more proactive, so we’re taking things with weight loss drugs a step further.

One of our concerns is that a lot of people are accessing them through unsafe, unregulated routes with no real support, with the numbers expected to swell even further with the pill form, so we want to help address that.

And so we’re launching a new two-way partnership with a trusted pharmacy provider, in which we signpost people to each other: the pharmacy as the drug prescriber and Everyone Active as the activity provider.

If someone comes into an Everyone Active facility looking for support with weight loss, where appropriate we can connect them with our partner to discuss weight loss drugs. Equally, if someone enters through a prescribing route, the pharmacy will advocate exercise, strength training and nutritional support at Everyone Active, so these become part of weight loss drug users’ journeys from the outset.

For me, this is where the real opportunity lies – not in viewing medication and exercise as competing solutions, but in recognising they can work together.

What’s changing in your physical estate?

One of the realities of public leisure is that we inherit facilities rather than building the same model repeatedly, so we have to think carefully

about how we adapt those spaces. We’ve invested around £20m a year over the last two years in upgrading our physical facilities and we’ll continue to explore how we can use our space differently.

The shift towards wellness is very much influencing that investment, with recovery and wellness a key focus in terms of how we allocate our floor space.

The relaunch of Westminster Lodge spa is a good example, with cold therapy and red light therapy now part of the offer. We’re looking at how elements of that proposition can be introduced elsewhere in our estate, too, whether that’s cryotherapy, cold plunge, red light therapy, massage beds or dedicated recovery areas.

We’re also strengthening our proposition in areas such as sleep, nutrition, breathwork and sound baths. It’s about supporting the whole journey, not just the workout.

We’ve also seen huge demand for reformer Pilates.

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Facilities have seen £40m of investment in the past 2 years

I NTERV I E W

What will you change as managing director?

Having been at Everyone Active for 21 years, it would be easy to be blinkered, especially given how successful the business already is: we’ve grown exponentially faster than anyone else within our sector.

However, even before I stepped into the new role, I had become increasingly conscious that our size was – to use the oil tanker analogy – starting to hamper our ability to respond quickly to change. So we’ve already restructured the business since I became managing director in April.

We’ve strengthened the board, bringing in a commercial director who will drive alignment and speed up decision-making, and we’ve split our largest region – the south-east – in two.

When I was regional director, I was working with around 35 local authorities. That’s already a lot of relationships to manage and we now intend to grow the base even further. By creating two regions where previously there was one, each team has the additional capacity it needs to support growth. That will include more involvement from the regional directors in the bidding process as well as in nurturing relationships with our clients on an ongoing basis.

EVERYONE ACTIVE

Everyone Active runs a portfolio of spas

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Talk to us about the culture at Everyone Active Building a culture is hard. Maintaining it through substantial growth is even harder.

Every time we win a contract, we bring new people into the organisation: this April alone, around 800 colleagues transferred into the business.

In this scenario, you have to make sure they very quickly understand the way we work and feel part of what the organisation stands for.

I think that’s something we’re good at.

I’m particularly proud of the strength of the team we’ve built over the years. The recent restructure created 25 new positions across the organisation and every single one was filled by an internal candidate. These included three directorlevel positions. At no point did I feel we needed to look outside the business, because I knew we had the people capable of stepping into those roles.

For me, that’s one of the strongest indicators of the culture we’ve built. It demonstrates that people can develop their careers within Everyone Active and it shows colleagues that opportunities exist within the organisation.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey will be speaking at the HCM Summit on 22 October in London

What excites you most about becoming MD? It’s the opportunity I now have to steer the ship.

I’ve spent more than 20 years helping build this business and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, but I also see enormous opportunities ahead. We have a strong culture, a talented team and a clear platform for growth, so the next five years are set to be a very exciting period.

I’m also excited by the opportunity to continue to evolve what public leisure looks like. Throughout my career, I’ve passionately challenged the idea that local authority leisure should somehow be the lesser option compared to the private sector. I don’t believe communities should have to compromise on quality, experience or innovation simply because they’re using a publicly owned facility.

And so, as consumer expectations continue to evolve, I refuse to sit back and watch the private sector define those expectations.

We’re constantly refining our product, leading from the front and creating experiences

EVERYONE ACTIVE

Building a culture is hard. Maintaining it through substantial growth is even harder people genuinely value, all the while remaining accessible to the communities we serve.

We’ve proven that commercial success and community impact go hand in hand. The more relevant, aspirational and engaging our facilities, the more people we attract, the more active our communities become and the greater value we deliver for our local authority partners.

I want Everyone Active to continue leading that evolution and proving that public leisure can be both highly commercial and deeply impactful in the communities it serves.

One of the things COVID highlighted was that government doesn’t always fully understand the value we deliver. We know physical activity improves health outcomes, supports mental wellbeing and reduces pressure on public services; if government is serious about prevention, then what our sector delivers should be a much bigger part of the conversation than it is today.

We need to keep making that case and I’m keen to play my part in that. ● ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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Technogym helped us create a concept that delivers what members need today, while preparing for the future Leon Jones, Tees Active Activ8 at Billingham Forum is setting the standard for public leisure with its Technogym-powered expansion

A NEW BENCHMARK

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ees Active is a not-for-profit charitable leisure trust operating facilities on behalf of Stocktonon-Tees Borough Council. Billingham Forum is the largest leisure centre in its portfolio and a well-established community hub.

Alongside fitness facilities, Tees Active delivers GP referral schemes, rehabilitation programmes and public health initiatives, making it a key partner in improving wellbeing across the region.

In 2025, the trust began planning a major expansion and refurbishment of the Activ8 gym at Billingham Forum, with the aim of creating a premium facility that challenges perceptions of public leisure centre gyms.

“We have a really supportive partner in Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council,” says Tees Active MD Leon Jones. “This strong relationship enabled this investment. The council believes in health and wellbeing for the community and is tremendously supportive of the work we do.”

Responding to changing member expectations and growing demand for strength training, Tees Active expanded the gym by 50 per cent, repurposing existing space to create a larger, more versatile environment New zoning has improved the member journey, while a dedicated strength area with distinctive lighting and décor created a boutique-style training space.

The redesigned gym combines wood finishes,

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industrial textures and greenery to create a modern environment that challenges assumptions about affordable community fitness.

“We recognise the fitness market has changed,” says Jones. “Some people want a more strength-focused environment and an edgier space, while we need to ensure the gym remained welcoming to existing members and to people who are new to exercise.”

Built in partnership Tees Active has partnered with Technogym for many years and the relationship played a key role in shaping the project: “Technogym helped us think about the expansion in a different way,” says Jones. “From layout and zoning to the technology and equipment mix, Technogym worked with us to create a concept that would deliver what our members need and prepare us for the future.”

Interior Design visuals enabled the team to refine the layout before installation, while Technogym worked closely with Tees Active to deliver the project within an ambitious programme. Staff from across the trust's leisure centres were trained on the new equipment and digital ecosystem, providing a platform for future developments across the wider portfolio.

The refurbished gym is equipped with Technogym solutions designed to support a broad range of

PHOTO: COLETS

Activ8 is the gym brand at Tees Active’s Billingham Forum leisure centre

Delivering results As a not-for-profit operator, Tees Active measures success through participation and engagement.

Early results indicate the investment is already attracting more younger members into the new strength area, while existing members have responded positively to the upgraded facilities.

Customer satisfaction has increased significantly, with Billingham Forum's Net Promoter Score rising to more than 70 following the refurbishment, well above the industry benchmark. Members

ALL PHOTOS: TECHNOG YM

training styles. New strength and functional zones include Technogym Universe Wall, positioned alongside a new sled push track, while the Skill range – Skillrun, Skillrow and Skillup – supports highintensity conditioning and performance training.

Technogym Checkup has also become an important part of the member journey, providing assessments across six health and fitness metrics. Integrated with the Technogym App, it enables members to monitor progress and access personalised content.

frequently comment that they have never seen a public leisure facility like it before, reflecting Tees Active's ambition to deliver a premium experience that remains accessible to all.

Following the success of the redevelopment, Tees Active is planning to roll out the concept across its portfolio of facilities – new purposebuilt gym at Thornaby Pavilion will apply the same design principles and equipment strategy, for example, creating another highquality community fitness environment.

Through its partnership with Technogym, Tees Active has created a new model that combines accessibility, innovation and quality, setting a benchmark for community leisure facilities. ● ● More: www.technogym.com

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Everyone’s talking about

Biophilic design

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As fitness and wellness increasingly overlap, club design is evolving to balance energising and calming. Kath Hudson talks to the experts about the benefits of biophilic design

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he Global Wellness Institute views biophilic design as a foundational pillar of modern wellness architecture, citing clinical evidence that biophilic integration provides health outcomes including lowering blood pressure, reducing cortisol, stabilising circadian rhythms, supporting attention, emotional regulation and minimising negative thoughts.

“Biophilic design works on both conscious and subconscious levels,” says wellness pioneer and founder of Wahayla, Anna Bjurstam.

“You might not actively notice the natural ventilation patterns or the way sunlight plays across a room throughout the day, but your body responds to these elements instinctively.

“As we face growing urbanisation and technological advancement. It’s essential to find ways to maintain connection to nature. When done right, these thoughtfully-designed spaces don’t just look beautiful, they help people feel better, think clearer, and live healthier.”

With good design being another retention tool, we ask the experts how to incorporate biophilic design principles into clubs…

“As we face growing urbanisation and technological advancement. It’s essential to find ways to maintain connection to nature” Anna Bjurstam

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Steph Holland

A glass roof in the sauna further connects dwellers with the outdoors both day and night. We’ve dubbed it our star gazing sauna Steph Holland

The Spa Garden’s fire pits have become a natural attraction DAVID LLOYD LEISURE

David Lloyd Leisure

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DAVID LLOYD LEISURE

DAVID LLOYD LEISURE

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e’ve designed our Spa Gardens to complement our Spa Retreats and to connect the indoor and outdoors gives and promote usage all year round. The property team position the Spa Gardens to be south-facing so they have maximum exposure to sunlight all year round. The introduction of fire pits bring in a natural element which people are drawn to, and has led to all-year-round usage.

Herb gardens have recently been planted within the gardens, to be included within the programmed sauna rituals and provide natural fragrance to complement the other sensory stimulations of nature.

The latest specification is a glass roof in the sauna, to further connect dwellers with the outdoors both day and night. We’ve dubbed it our star gazing sauna and it’s immensely popular.

Our swim out hydrotherapy pools allow members to begin their journey in the indoor spa and swim outside to the spa garden, without leaving the pool. Whenever possible our indoor saunas are positioned to face the beautiful nature of the garden.

There’s an opportunity for gym operators to get creative about hosting events which allow people to swap out the pub for the gym – for example wellness events, talks, or sharing circles.

Swim-out hydrotherapy pools are popular with members

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Sarah Grime THE GYM GROUP

Director of gym product and property development

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The Gym Group

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he Gym Group incorporates some practical, low-cost biophilic and environmental design features in our gym design. We recognise that the spaces where our members exercise can have a significant impact on their overall wellbeing and we aim to create gym environments that feel welcoming, energising and supportive of both physical and mental health.

Through integrating biophilic design features, we can create healthier, more attractive environments that encourage regular attendance and long-term member engagement.

As part of the company’s sustainability push towards achieving net zero, where feasible, biophilic design principles are considered alongside energy-efficient lighting strategies, for example large, glazed facades that maximise natural daylight, and the use of natural and recycled materials, such as timber and recycled rubber.

Newer layouts often incorporate different types of screening and acoustic zoning to create semi-enclosed workout areas, providing members with a greater sense of privacy, while maintaining visual openness and natural light.

We also seek to retain and celebrate existing architectural features where possible, creating spaces with character and a stronger sense of place while reducing waste and environmental impact.

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Sarah Grime

Through integrating biophilic features, we create healthier, more attractive environments that encourage attendance and longterm engagement

JOHN MCASLAN AND PARTNERS

Studies suggest the spaces we spend time in directly affect our mood, attention, stress and overall health Ellen Flood John McAslan and Partners

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iophilia or biophilic design is a term used to incorporate architectural and interior elements to the built environment that mimic or replicate forms of nature to create an environment that supports better wellbeing for the user. This is achieved by carefully considering natural light, ventilation, natural materials, organic forms and patterns to design a healthier, more pleasant space.

Large glazed facades enable biophilic design and energy efficiency

Ellen Flood

Studies suggest the spaces we spend time in directly affect our mood, attention, stress and overall health. In the modern world we spend 90 per cent of our time indoors, and not always in healthy spaces. Bad design, such as poor lighting, noise, over-stimulation, low access to fresh air and lack of access to outdoor spaces are all stress triggers.

We evolved in a natural environment and haven’t lost our need to interact with it.

Bringing nature into design to create a pleasant, stimulating, healthy building has been shown to improve our attention, focus, ability to connect with others, our creativity and curiosity.

For a person to get the most out of their workout, they need to be focused, engaged and physiologically comfortable. This can be achieved by promoting natural lighting in the space, incorporating earthy tones to the interior materials, organic layouts of equipment and spaces, outdoor spaces, or visual access to outdoors, natural airflow for increased oxygen levels and greenery for a calming atmosphere.

A space that inspires and visually stimulates us has a direct relationship to our ability to focus, which is essential to an effective workout. It’s been shown that endurance and fatigue can be improved by exercising in a greener or biophilic space.

Secondary to the interior elements, the space zoning and facilities provided can promote calmness and de-stress the nervous system. Low-sensory calming spaces intentionally aimed at lowering the heart rate, such as meditation rooms and saunas, help mental wellbeing after physical activity. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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If posture softens without anyone telling the member to relax, the environment is already doing some of the work Biophilic design researcher

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ur nervous systems are constantly scanning the environment for cues of safety or threat and natural environments tend to signal safety. There’s a growing body of research in environmental psychology showing that exposure to natural elements, such as greenery, daylight, organic materials and natural patterns can reduce stress, improve mood and help the brain recover from cognitive fatigue.

Wider environmental studies show that harsh, artificial lighting has been linked to increased cognitive fatigue. Lack of natural light can affect circadian rhythm and mood, high noise levels raise stress responses and visual clutter increases mental load.

Since gyms are designed to energise they frequently incorporate these elements – that’s the intention – but if there’s nowhere for the nervous system to shift back down after training, people can leave feeling more wired than restored. People tend to feel better after their workout if the environment supports recovery as well as intensity.

Small changes can make a difference. The key is contrast. Providing an area for recovery with warmer lighting, softer materials, natural textures and greenery can help the body relax after exertion. Even natural soundscapes have been shown in recent research to influence heart rate variability and stress levels.

Interestingly, people don’t usually notice these elements consciously. They just feel calmer in certain environments. One thing I watch for is whether people’s shoulders drop when they walk into a space. If posture softens without anyone telling them to relax, the environment is already doing some of the work. Intensity is important in gyms, but recovery is just as important, and it starts with the space people walk into.

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Bex Hamilton

BEX HAMILTON

Bex Hamilton

Stavros Theodoulou Zynk Design

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through materials, forms and textures, such as organic shapes and curves; biomorphic patterns inspired by leaves, waves or branches; natural materials such as timber, stone, clay and cork and earth-inspired colour palettes. These features subtly evoke nature even when actual natural elements are not present.

Thirdly, the nature of the space principle focuses on how spatial layouts replicate the experiences humans instinctively seek in natural environments – prospect (open views); refuge (sheltered, protective spaces); mystery (partially hidden spaces that encourage exploration) and transition (gradual movement between environments). These spatial qualities help create feelings of safety, comfort, curiosity and calm.

Effective biophilic design engages multiple senses simultaneously. It considers not only what people see, but also what they hear, touch, smell and emotionally experience within a space. In an age where wellness has become central to how we experience interior spaces, biophilic design has emerged as one of the most influential approaches in contemporary architecture and interiors.

ZYNK DESIGN

iophilia refers to humanity’s innate tendency to seek connections with the natural world. In practice, biophilic design incorporates natural elements, materials, patterns, light and sensory experiences into spaces to improve health – including wellbeing, creativity and emotional comfort.

Rather than simply adding plants to a room, true biophilic design creates immersive environments that mimic the qualities and experiences of nature.

Research has shown that environments designed with biophilic principles can help reduce stress, lower heart rates, improve cognitive performance, enhance mood and increase productivity and relaxation.

Biophilic design is commonly organised into three overarching categories. Nature in the space, for example indoor planting and living walls, natural daylight, dynamic lighting, water features and views of landscapes or greenery all create a sensory connection with nature.

Secondly, natural analogues are indirect references to nature

Stavros Theodoulou

Open views, sheltered, protective spaces and gradual movement between environments help create feelings of safety, comfort and calm

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CASE STUDY

The HVN Zynk Design created a forest bathing space in the heart of London’s Knightsbridge, at The HVN (pronounced The Haven), which offers functional medicine, aesthetics and other treatments.

Briefed to design an oasis of peace and calm, Zynk took inspiration from ancestral caves and ancient woodlands and referenced nature at every stage – the flowing shapes on the floor represent the curling wind, dappled light projections conjure the feeling of walking through woodlands, the canopy of real and preserved planting helps create a 360 degree representation of forest bathing and pine scents and nature sounds from Sherwood Forest.

Tactile clay wall finishes are layered with botanical imprints to create a continuous thread of the forest and the curved forms create cocoon-like safe spaces. Users are tempted to touch and explore the relief patterns to help them feel connected to the built environment.

Circadian lighting runs throughout the space, proven to send relaxing cues to the brain.

The centrepiece to the experiential waiting area, The Cove Seat, was designed by Zynk and commissioned especially for the space. The tactile carved timber was sustainably sourced and hand carved by Goldfinger Design.

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Textural design details echo the surrounding landscape

CASE STUDY

Six Senses Kyoto

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Intimate gardens within an urban setting inspire a mood of quiet calm

Biophilic design is at the heart of Six Senses’ design philosophy, aimed at creating meaningful connections between guests and the natural world that enhance wellbeing on multiple levels, helping them to relax and sleep well.

Biophilic design is approached through multiple lenses, considering how the spaces – including the gym and spa – can nurture body and soul. For example, Six Senses Kyoto is in an urban setting but intimate gardens invite a mood of calm and contemplation. Textural details such as recycled washi paper, traditional plasterwork and natural stone flooring were chosen to echo the surrounding landscape and create a deeper connection to nature.

Materials that have zero VOCs ensure superior indoor air quality. Natural, locally-sourced, and renewable materials are prioritised for their lower environmental impact and because they create healthier spaces that support the biophilic design principles. This attention to material selection extends from structural elements to furniture, fixtures and finishes.

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CASE STUDY

Sael Spa Sael Spa will soon open at a new lifestyle destination at Fulham Pier, London. Designed by Stuart Forbes Associates (SFA), biophilic principles were integral to the design and the floor to ceiling windows with river views, along with the rooftop infinity pool connect the indoors and outdoors.

In reference to the pottery making tradition of the area, the interior materials palette combines natural clay, bespoke plaster walls by Tom Hertz Studio, stone, terracotta, charred woods and ceramic tiles. Layered textures are used, including reflective crystal glass, specialist metal cladding to several ceilings, woven grass wallcoverings, handmade macramé screens, preserved moss and, live planting. Glass bricks soften the palette and introduce texture, reflection and light.

Jitka Pucandlova, associate director at SFA, says: “Sael is about slowing the world down. The result is an interior with a clear point of view: one shaped by daylight, the rhythm of nature and the rare experience of being suspended above the River Thames.”

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Visitors to Sael Spa are greeted by a real moss wall

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INSIGHT

Today’s young people are the first generation to choose gym-going as part of their identity Sophie Lawler

PROGRESS REPORT With the publication of a new report – The Great Reset? – Total Fitness CEO, Sophie Lawler, has provided the industry with data to show progress since the pandemic, as Kath Hudson reports

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t’s been five years since the fitness industry reopened after the last lockdown – long enough to look back on the impact the pandemic had on the sector and to understand what might come next.

In 2021, shortly after restrictions were lifted, Total Fitness surveyed 750 of its new joiners to help understand the profile, expectations and motivations of health club members. This year the research was repeated, with 770 new members being studied. The two studies were then compared to discover changes that indicate the future direction of the industry.

Lawler and Total Fitness’ chief commercial officer, Kerry Curtis, convened a roundtable to discuss

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the findings. Lawler was joined by UK Active chair, Dave Stalker; Foundry CEO, Jean-Claude Vacassin; Cunard vice president of global marketing and EMEA sales, David Jones, and partner at CIL Management Consultants, Liam McGuinness. It was moderated by the report’s author-in-chief, Steve Leigh, who is managing director at Sensu Insight.

The Great Reset During the pandemic there was fear in the sector that members wouldn’t come back. While there was the tailwind of the government advising the nation to exercise and confirming that healthy people were more resilient when it came to dealing with the virus, the mainstream media

Left to right: Sophie Lawler, Steve Leigh, Liam McGuinnness, David Stalker, Jean-Claude Vacassin, David Jones

Lawler said there was a lot of peer pressure to go digital: “I was confident people would return to the gym – as if people would keep exercising next to their washing on the drying rack in the longer term – but as resources dwindled, shareholder pressure mounted in regards to the best way forward, because of the sense that everything was going to change.”

We now know that health clubs didn’t get replaced and a boom has followed, but the report carried out in 2021 found that it wasn’t just because of COVID – more than 60 per cent of joiners didn’t even reference the pandemic. “There was simply a lot of pent up demand, especially from young people who were reaching membership ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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kept rolling with the unhelpful narrative that gyms would be redundant because everyone was exercising outside and at home online.

Online workouts and apps had already been bubbling under as a trend, so it seemed a natural move for operators to take the plunge into digital fitness. It was a challenging time for operators who had to decide which direction to take and for investors.

“Looking into the fitness space it was confusing to see what the situation was and whether the winner would be physical or digital,” says McGuinness.

“But the houses in the UK are not really set up to accommodate home gyms so we’ve seen certain home equipment brands peak and then trough.”

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age,” says Lawler. “But in some ways even the boom was unhelpful, because loads of us had maturing financing facilities to be renegotiated and it was made harder because even three years later the boom in membership was still being attributed to a post-COVID bounce.”

Consumers have changed Coming out of lockdown, joiners were primarily concerned with rebuilding routines and confidence; now they’re more discerning and appear to be evaluating how well a health club supports their needs. As an aspiration, the six-pack has been replaced by a desire for long-term health and longevity.

A broad range of demographics are joining health clubs for a variety of reasons, including long-term health, mental wellbeing, confidence and quality of life. One size never did fit all, but that’s even less the case now.

“I think this is exactly what the industry would have asked for as an outcome,” said Stalker.

“Good operators have grabbed the opportunity and said ‘we can deliver meaningful results for

people’. It’s a sign of an industry that’s growing up. I didn’t see the post-pandemic period as a reset, I saw it as more of an acceleration.

“In my view members were always going to go back to gyms – people are community-driven. They’ve just gone back with more curiosity about themselves.”

Jones believes there’s been a shift from selling access to a space, to selling an investment in life, saying: “We’re now in a membership economy and the subscriptions people purchase show something about them as a person and their personal brand,” he explained.

“Increasingly gym membership is about identity and community. It’s important for people to be able to identify with the brand of the gym they belong to.”

Lawler said today’s young people are the first generation to choose gym-going as part of their identity, and that 20 years ago that concept would have been considered way outside the norm. McGuinness said the fitness racing boom has amplified this trend and that people like to portray themselves as fit on social media.

Sophie Lawler

Sophie Lawler at the HCM Summit 2025

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1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

The normalisation of exercise means people are more confident to join and the decision-making process is quicker

1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

In 2021 we were asking, ‘Will people come back?’ In 2026 we’re asking, ‘What are they coming for?’

OLD

Steve Leigh

Switching gyms is a trend The Great Reset says many new members are arriving with an existing relationship with fitness, as well as clear motivations and expectations and an understanding of the role fitness can play in their lives – a key difference when compared to the class of 2021.

“We’re seeing a lot more ‘switchers’,” says Lawler. “There used to be more novices in our joiner mix, but recent data shows there are fewer first-timers among our new members.”

Many of the new joiners, especially the older ones, are attracted by swimming pools and other wellness facilities. Atmosphere, staff and overall experience also have an impact on decision making.

Lawler says pool usage is strong and she believes watching athletic swimmers from the vantage point of the sauna is encouraging people to get into the pool. She also says memberships are easier to sell now: “We’re finding that people have made the decision to join before they come to us, so there’s far less ‘selling’ than there used to be.

“New joiners are coming through more quickly, because they’ve already made changes to their wellbeing habits and they’ve built up the self-assurance to come into the

gym. The normalisation of exercise means people are more confident to join and the decision-making process is quicker. The attrition rate has been ticking down for a long time and more engaged cohorts are coming more often.”

McGuinness says supply will need to catch up: “The industry needs more investment and more gyms – there have been around 7,000 gyms in the UK for a long time, penetration rates are rising, there are gaps in provision, especially in smaller market towns, and an upswell of thinking about how beneficial health and fitness can be to a wider cross-section of society.”

Investors are looking for resilient businesses where they can be confident they won’t lose their money. “They’re looking for areas in which to invest that aren’t leaning too heavily into the trends, while also providing for them,” says McGuinness. “The most successful operators I’ve seen are the ones who are confidently reacting to trends, rather than pivoting away from the core operating model.”

The mid-market is back With the research showing that wellness, recovery facilities and swimming pools are increasing in demand, Leigh asked whether the situation has ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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The workforce is the most important part of the product and operators must make staff feel that David Stalker

evolved away from the strong pre-COVID trend of the sector being dominated by low-cost clubs.

“We had that period of extreme polarisation with the mid-market squeezed out, but it’s fascinating to see now how the broader wellbeing facilities, such as saunas and swimming pools, are becoming more important in the decision-making process,” said McGuinness. “This is at odds with what we’ve seen over the last 20 years with the prior scaling back of the generic gym facility.”

McGuinness highlighted that in the US, the high-value, low-price operators, such as EoS Fitness and Crunch Fitness, keep adding to their offering with reformer Pilates and recovery facilities, which is pushing the price point back to mid-market levels.

Leigh pointed out that The Great Reset? examined the market from a Total Fitness perspective and that Foundry has a very different, strippedback model – both geographically and in size – and posed the question of whether different operators are tackling needs in different ways.

“We don’t have a pool and we don’t have contrast therapy. We do training,” said Vacassin.

“What we do is throw all our resources at our team instead, so we can offer the best personal training team in the country.

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“We describe ourselves as home-cooked food and people can have their dirty takeaways elsewhere!” Leigh said this illustrates the point made in The Great Reset? that people are looking for direct connection and accountability.

People – the most valuable asset “Members – especially women – appreciate staff presence for cleanliness, safety and comfort,” says Lawler. “We’re also finding high demand for one-to-one programming.”

“Don’t we love that staff are so important?” said Stalker. “The workforce is the most important part of the product and operators must make them feel that. If the staff are happy the club will reflect that.”

McGuinness made the point that the post-COVID shift towards employing PTs rather than contracting with self-employed PTs who paid to work out of the gym creates a better culture on the gym floor, as they represent the club rather than themselves.

Lawler said it was difficult to recruit after the pandemic, as the self-employed talent disappeared off to more stable workplaces, but Vacassin believes this situation is improving: “I’m buoyed up by the number of people coming into the sector and also by the talent. I think it’s partly down

1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

I’m buoyed up by the number of people coming into the sector and also by the talent

1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

Jean-Claude Vacassin

The most successful operators are confidently reacting to trends Liam McGuinness ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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We’re now in a membership economy and the subscriptions people purchase show something about them as a person David Jones

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Stalker agreed that if the sector wants to save the NHS, professionalisation of staff is the way forward and that the opportunity is enormous.

Going forward The time after the pandemic didn’t pan out as many expected – members came back and health clubs weren’t replaced, they were prioritised.

Overall fitness, quality of life, mental wellbeing and longevity are now given as reasons for joining health clubs. Fitness now occupies a wider role in people’s lives and health clubs are part of a more diverse ecosystem.

Leigh summed the discussion up: “In 2021 we were asking ‘will people come back?’ In 2026 we’re asking ‘what are they coming for and how can we keep them?’”

Lawler said: “Looking back five years, the theories we had were wrong. As a sector, we didn’t look around the corner.

“That’s where I’m always trying to be as a CEO – looking around the corner at where the customer will be going next." l More: www.HCMmag.com/greatreset

1FIT LIFE CONTENT CREATORS

to the professionalisation of the sector and the fact there are more opportunities and avenues that are enabling people to build careers.”

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Stalker. “But my worry is that at the other end of the spectrum, people can do an online course and then go to work in a club without ever having set foot in one.

“When I look at some of the courses and training providers, it’s making my job harder when speaking with the medical community on behalf of the sector.”

McGuinness said AI is likely to bring more people into the industry to work, as fitness is considered a more AI-proof industry.

Vacassin said Foundry is looking to use AI to scale right back on marketing and accounting people costs, so PTs can be paid more: “We employ four or five PTs per site and pay well above the market rate to attract the best in London. We’d rather pay more and have fewer people,” he explained.

Leigh flagged that people coming to gyms to gain long-term health benefits will lead to increased levels of responsibility for the staff and a need to upskill them.

THE INSIGHT WORK THE SAMPLE Total Fitness is a mid-market operator and its clubs serve a wide range of age groups and communities across the North of England and Wales, which means the surveys are reflective of various life stages and different regions Table 1: Consumer priorities

Table 3: What joiners want

More people want to get fit and are trying more experiences

Many new joiners want more than the gym

■ 77 per cent of new members say fitness is

because of the swimming pool

more important to them than five years ago ■ 87 per cent think about long-term

health more than they used to

■ 68 per cent were motivated to join ■ 48 per cent joined for the sauna and steam facilities ■ 51 per cent joined for hydrotherapy

■ 76 per cent place greater emphasis on mental wellbeing ■ 61 per cent combine different

types of fitness activity

■ 59 per cent are trying new

fitness experiences more often ■ 45 per cent are exercising

outdoors more frequently

Table 4: Digital vs physical

Digital fitness didn’t take over ■ 10 per cent regularly use fitness apps ■ 21 per cent use home workouts or home fitness equipment ■ 2 per cent participate in online fitness classes

Table 2: Joiners and switchers

There are now more switchers than five years ago

Table 5: Spending priorities

■ 11 per cent of new joiners are new to

Wellness spend is protected – value is more important than price

■ 57 per cent of new joiners are

■ 78 per cent treat membership as essential and would cut back on spending elsewhere

■ Switchers are most concentrated among 25- to 44-year-olds

■ 73 per cent spend more on fitness

the industry (vs 22 per cent in 2021) switchers (vs 44 per cent in 2021)

■ Switchers are less likely than new joiners to report a lifestyle shift ■ Returners tend to be 55+ and their relationship with gyms has often been interrupted

and wellbeing than previously

■ 22 per cent say it’s a luxury

■ Returners are the group most

Table 6: Demographics

■ Women account for two-thirds of newcomers

It’s not just a Gen Z story - Percentage agreeing that fitness is more important to them than it was in 2021

likely to be drawn to the pool

■ 87 per cent of newcomers say fitness has become more important in their lives ■ Newcomers want to feel

■ 77 per cent of 45- to 54-year-olds

comfortable and supported

■ 70 per cent of 55- to 64-year-olds

■ Time, cost and motivation had

■ 73 per cent over the age of 65

been the barriers to joining previously SOURCE OF ALL TABLES: THE GREAT RESET?

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Here comes

the future

A

A new hybrid wellness destination model has been developed for AI pioneer, Midjourney, as Helen Andrew reports

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TLEE SPAS

new wellness destination per cent of all premature deaths and concept has been developed 50 per cent of all healthcare costs. for AI pioneer Midjourney, At the centre of the new facility will that blurs the boundaries be nine of these full-body Midjourney between fitness, spa and Scanners that have been developed preventative healthcare, with by the company’s team of engineers. the goal of improving public health.

Guests will walk onto a US-based TLee Spas and Wellness platform in shallow water, was responsible for the design. which descends like a lift into a Midjourney is a generative AI private pool to be scanned by research company known for offering rings of underwater sensors.

“There’s a need for its users a way to create detailed The devices will provide spaces where people stylised images and videos from text noninvasive ultrasound imaging descriptions via a chat-style online of the body using sound waves can experience platform. It’s a community-backed to visualise organ and tissue wellbeing through the research lab without investors. segmentation plus structural intersection of science, The 24,000sq ft flagship Midjourney imaging of the torso and legs.

Spa is due to open at the end of 2027 The 3D mapping will be accurate hospitality, nature and at 300 Grant Avenue in San Francisco, to a fraction of a millimetre, similar meaningful connection” to an MRI, but the generation of the US. The company plans to scale the Jeanine Allpress-Cliffe concept to more cities in 2028. images will be quicker – nearly 100 Spread across four floors, the San times the speed. Midjourney says it Francisco destination will offer a gym and fitness wants the scanning to take no more than 60 seconds. studio and classic spa experiences such as a thermal The technology requires enormous computational circuit with hot tubs, saunas and plunge pools. There power, producing terabytes of data each second. will also be other wellness-focused amenities, such The aim is to help guests track changes to their as body scanners, a multi-purpose live music room, bodies over time and encourage them to adopt group tea tastings and touchless longevity treatments. proactive preventative behaviours to improve their health. By using the scanners regularly, they will be able to build a library of data about their own health.

Midjourney Scanners The new facility will be targeted at the general Midjourney has already expanded into healthcare, with public and while the pricing model is still to be the creation of its Midjourney Medical division. This decided, Midjourney plans to make its facilities division is creating a body scanner that is expected affordable and accessible. The company suggests to provide 3D ultrasonic CT imaging quickly within the spa will eventually be available 24/7. David a wellness setting. The company believes that with Holz, founder and CEO of Midjourney, said: “The enough early imaging, the world could avoid 30

Guests will walk onto a platform in shallow water, which descends like a lift into a private pool to be scanned by rings of underwater sensors

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ALL IMAGES: BASALT ARCHITECTS

Midjourney’s flagship four-floor spa will open in late 2027

I N N O V AT I O N

“We leaned into the concept of ‘frequency as medicine’ and how this is being blended into so many aspects of a wellness environment” Jeanine Allpress-Cliffe

Cosy rooms filled with pools of golden light will scan the body

The spa will blend natural, organic design with tech experiences

The design TLee Spas collaborated with Basalt, the company that created Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon, as well as San Francisco-based architects Rapt Studio to create a blended environment with organic forms and tech-driven experiences.

The space will feature soft golden light, water features and natural materials, while live music will play though the facility.

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Midjourney Spa will feature hot tubs, saunas, cold plunges and cosy rooms filled with pools of golden light that softly scan your body. It’s designed as a place you genuinely want to go, alone or with friends. The scans become almost incidental and you barely think about them when visiting.”

Jeanine Allpress-Cliffe, president and MD of TLee Spas and Wellness, told HCM’s sister magazine, Spa Business, that Midjourney “plans to launch as a wellness-focused product, offering body composition tracking rather than diagnostic imaging, since broader medical use would require regulatory approval.”

Midjourney is aiming to achieve FDA approval for increased diagnostics in the future and its goal is to have more than 50,000 scanners worldwide by 2031. The company says this will provide them with a scanning capacity of one billion scans per month, in order to cover a large percentage of the global population or regular, monthly scans to one billion people.

community-driven approach. There’s a need for spaces where people can gather, reconnect and experience wellbeing through the intersection of science, hospitality, nature and meaningful connection.

“As AI and wellness technologies continue to evolve, there’s an opportunity to harness these innovations thoughtfully, balancing progress with the rituals, relationships and emotional experiences that make wellness truly transformative,” Allpress-Cliffe continued.

“Working with the Midjourney team allowed us to think beyond traditional boundaries and blur the lines between technology, AI and wellness.

“We leaned into the concept of ‘frequency as medicine’ and how this is being blended into so many aspects of a wellness environment, from sound to light, to water and design, evoking a fully supported sensory experience.

Midjourney Spa is an innovative blend of what it means to be human in an AI-driven world.”

Helen Andrews is assistant editor of HCM

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©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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TO U G H TI M ES

Life s n o s s le____

We know the fundamentals of everything that’s driving our business

Having entered the industry from banking in 2016, Koroleva faced the pandemic just four years later. She talks to Kath Hudson about learning to be laserfocused on spending and consumer behaviour

ONE LDN / JOEL CHARLEY

EVGENIA KOROLEVA founder, ONE LDN

Consumer behaviour and expectations changed after COVID

ONE LDN

L

eading a fitness business through the pandemic and what came afterwards was the most difficult period of my career.

It was a case of survival and no one knew how the market would return.

However, the pandemic also took a lot of the fear of business ownership away for me. You can't go any lower than not making any money, so it gave me less fear about pivoting, being agile and making decisions.

Having spent four intense years as a founder, the pandemic gave me the chance to pause and zoom out. Stepping away from the operational day-to-day allowed me to look at where we could drive the business growth, rather than relying on historic assumptions or my own opinions.

The industry changed so much after the pandemic – the consumer behaviour and expectations and the economics of operating the health club.

Coming out of it, we had to decide whether to rebuild the business according to what we had, or build a business where the market was moving.

I took inspiration from adjacent industries, such as nutrition and athleisure and changed the way we operate the business in order to look at where our consumers are going, and built the business towards that, rather than trying to copy the rest of the industry.

I took inspiration from adjacent industries, such as nutrition and athleisure Discipline, innovation and agility With cashflow being so tight we became incredibly strategic around forecasting and resource allocation and disciplined on KPIs and targets. For example, we knew exactly how many leads needed to be generated and the number of sales for a specific return. That meticulous attention to the numbers allowed us to come back in a controlled way, including negotiating a new lease with the landlord.

Although we couldn't pay our full rent on day one, our forecasting gave us the confidence to commit to a scaled-up rent over a period of time. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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ONE LDN / JOEL CHARLEY

TO U G H TI M ES

We became ultrafocused on our targeted demographic – Gen Z and Millennials for whom training is a non- negotiable and who want a community We also looked at different ways to innovate our revenue sources, beyond a recurring membership model. Post-COVID there was an explosion of online creators and coaches, so we created a rentable space to film content. That became one of the biggest revenue sources for us during the post-COVID recovery.

Trying to be everything for everyone, especially in an ultra-competitive environment such as London, doesn't work. We became ultra-focused on our targeted demographic – Gen Z and Millennials for whom training is a non-negotiable and who want a community. We made sure our product, experience, communication and marketing was exactly right for this population.

Having such a strong and targeted membership base led to brands wanting to partner with us. We were disciplined around this. If you work with a specific demographic, there needs to be a price attached to giving brands exposure to your membership base.

Knowing your value, assigning an ROI, and charging for those partnerships is key. Nike is our biggest brand partnership, but we did a lot of partnerships with other brands prior to that which helped us structure contracts when Nike came to us.

Being agile as a business was another priority which came from this time. We’ve become fast at changing, testing and adopting new systems. As we’re looking to scale this agility is extremely important – the whole team needs to stay curious so we can swiftly change direction and respond to macro shifts.

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ONE LDN hired a community manager after COVID

efficient way of doing it? Where are my team spending their time? As a customer-facing business with consumers desperate for the community element I need to take the meaningless tasks away from my team so they can focus on being customer-facing and building community.

As we're looking to open more sites, we now know the fundamentals of everything that's driving our business, and the foundation is built solidly.

While building the foundations in every sense is crucial, I’ve learned that so is asking yourself about what's going to be important for our customers tomorrow, a year from now and in two years or three years. The businesses that win now are the ones who can identify where the consumer is moving and how to be there for them. l

ONE LDN / JOEL CHARLEY

ONE LDN is designed for ‘everyday athletes who love gyms’

RAISING THE GAME ONE LDN is raising funds for a multi-site expansion across London, the UK, and Europe.

Founded in 2016 by Evgenia Koroleva, the concept aims to democratise elite-level training.

Koroleva says she spotted a gap in the market when she launched the 18,000sq ft club: “Back in 2016, I had to go to a variety of boutique studios and have a range of memberships to train. The idea behind ONE LDN was to create a premium fitness experience with the best instructors, a very well-equipped gym, and boutique-style fitness classes, contract-free and at a price that didn’t break the bank.”

The facility is 80 per cent gym floor, with a functional fitness box, some recovery options, saunas and ice baths, priced at £160 a month. Three different types of group training are offered: hybrid/ Hyrox, strength and holistic (yoga and Pilates.)

After lockdown Koroleva pivoted to home in on the “everyday athlete” a cohort she identified as driving the market. “For this demographic fitness isn’t just access – it’s an identity and provides a way of self-actualisation. ONE LDN has always been a gym for people who love gyms,” she says.

“We homed in on that specific demographic – the Gen Z and young Millennials for whom fitness is a non-negotiable – and became extremely targeted. We installed an elevated,

premium functional fitness box and it blew up. People called it ‘the playground’.” That’s how the clients we were looking after wanted to train – 400 of our members competed at the London Hyrox events in 2025/2026.”

Koroleva says community drives ONE LDN: “One of the first hires I did after COVID was a full-time community manager because people were so starved of connection and the community really became the revenue engine for us.

“To this day, 47 per cent of my customers come through friend referrals. Our cost of customer acquisition to lifetime value is 47 times. Our customers come on average five times a week and they stay with us for two and a half years. The business is doing amazingly well – our EBITDA is 30 per cent.”

In September 2024, ONE LDN was approached

by Nike to become a partner gym. Over the past year and a half, Nike has planted its global research team within the gym, testing products and doing customer surveys. Together they have built a first ever Hyrox racing team, the Unbeatables and 19 of them have recently competed at the World Championships.

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PureGym, Everlast Gyms and Urban Gym Group are all moving into the Republic of Ireland, heralding a new stage of market development and growth, as Liz Terry reports

EVERLAST / JOAS SOUZA

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hree international fitness operators have made decisive moves into the Republic of Ireland within the space of two weeks.

PureGym will open its first Irish club in Dublin in early 2027, saying it sees significant potential for expansion.

Everlast Gyms has just opened a 25,000sq ft flagship in the city – its first location outside the UK – while Netherlands-based Urban Gym Group has entered the market through the acquisition of four-site Dublin operator, Iconic Health Clubs.

Taken individually, each announcement is significant, but together, they signal something bigger.

For local operators, it’s the arrival of new competition, for investors a potential validation of the market and for the wider industry, the question of why Ireland and why now?

The answer lies in a combination of population growth, rising participation and a health and fitness market that remains less penetrated than many of Europe’s leading fitness economies.

Personal exercise is now the Republic of Ireland’s most popular activity, undertaken by 20 per cent of people each week

The market in Ireland has been building momentum for years, but without attracting the scrutiny given to the UK, Germany, Spain or the Nordic countries.

Home-grown operators have built substantial estates, personal exercise has become the nation’s most popular sporting activity and population growth is expanding the addressable market.

The arrival of PureGym, Everlast and Urban Gym Group suggests the opportunity has become impossible for international investors to ignore.

Neil Randal, CEO of Urban Gym Group told HCM: “All of us arriving at the same time says more about Ireland than about any of us.

It’s a sign the market has come of age.”

Beyond the headlines Unlike the UK, the Republic has no comprehensive market audit comparable with those produced

by Deloitte, Grant Thornton and UK Active or Evolve. There’s no definitive published total for health clubs, memberships, penetration or revenues and the distinction between commercial

EVERLAST GYMS / FRASERS GROUP

Everlast Gyms has just opened above a new Sports Direct store in Dublin

health clubs, public leisure centres, university facilities, boutiques and hotel health clubs is often blurred. As a result, the scale of the market is likely to have been underestimated.

Drawing together the available evidence, HCM estimates the Republic currently has around 600,000-700,000 health club members, representing penetration of approximately 11–13 per cent.

Those members are served by an estimated 450-500 fitness facilities of varying types.

EuropeActive and Deloitte report that Europe’s health and fitness sector reached 75.5 million members, generated €39.1 billion in revenues and comprised 67,515 clubs during 2025, equating to average annual revenue of around €518 per member.

Applying a slightly more conservative figure to Ireland, to reflect its mix of operator types, we get to an annual market worth of €300-€350 million.

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Trade association Active Ireland estimates the value to the economy of the sector to be €500 million a year.

A growing customer base Even at the upper end of HCM’s estimate, the Republic appears to have considerable capacity for growth and demographics provide one of the strongest explanations for the surge in operator interest.

Ireland’s population reached 5.46 million in April 2025, an increase of 78,300 in 12 months, following growth of almost 99,000 the previous year. It also recorded a fourth consecutive year in which immigration exceeded 100,000 people.

Dublin alone has 1.57 million inhabitants, accounting for 28.7 per cent of the population and providing the density needed to support large-format clubs and multi-site operators.

At the same time, the population is ageing. Ireland had 861,100 people aged 65 and over in April 2025, up by 135,000 in five years. This group now accounts for 15.8 per cent of the population.

For operators, population growth and ageing create opportunities at both ends of the market.

Young workers, students and new arrivals support affordable, flexible gym models, while older consumers are driving demand for strength, mobility, rehabilitation, active ageing and healthspan services.

Nor is expansion likely to remain confined to Dublin, because Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and a network of commuter towns also offer opportunities for regional chains, franchises and compact models, although development will depend on property availability and local population density.

The addressable market is, therefore, expanding even before any increase in market penetration is taken into account.

Exercise moves into the mainstream Demand is rising. Sport Ireland’s Irish Sports Monitor found that 2.12 million people took part in physical activity every week during 2025. Participation held at 48.4 per cent, matching the record reached in 2024, but population growth meant the number taking part was higher than ever.

Personal exercise is now Ireland’s most popular activity, undertaken by 20 per cent of people each

EVERLAST GYMS / FRASERS GROUP

The arrival of PureGym, Everlast and Urban Gym Group suggests the opportunity has become impossible for international investors to ignore

week, ahead of swimming (8 per cent), running (7 per cent) and cycling and weights (4 per cent each), all of which can involve health clubs in some way.

Participation has risen from 12 per cent in 2017.

Significant unmet need also remains. The 2024 Healthy Ireland Survey found only 41 per cent of people achieved the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, down from 46 per cent in 2019, making this a public health issue.

Sport Ireland also identified persistent disparities by age, disability and socioeconomic group. In 2024, participation among people under 35 exceeded that of older adults by 26 percentage points, while the gap between ABC1 and C2DE groups was 19 percentage points.

The opportunity, therefore, extends well beyond selling conventional health club memberships: Ireland needs more affordable access, but it also needs supported exercise, inclusive programming and services designed around older adults, women, people with disabilities and those living with long-term health conditions.

Different routes to market The three international entrants are pursuing distinctly different strategies. PureGym is entering organically and although it has yet to disclose the scale of its ambitions, the company says Ireland offers ‘significant expansion potential’ as it works towards operating more than 1,000 clubs globally by 2030.

The business already has more than 700 gyms and around two million members across the UK, Denmark, Switzerland, the US and the Middle East and its arrival will intensify competition in the value segment, where Flyefit has built a formidable position.

This operator has 22 gyms, charging €38 a month for single-site membership or €41 across the estate.

Membership income increased from €26.3 million in 2023 to €30 million in 2024, while profit rose to €4.5 million, underlining the strength of demand.

PureGym is therefore entering an underpenetrated market, but not an uncontested one.

Everlast is taking a different approach. Its Dublin club – above a new 60,000sq ft Sports Direct store – will combine reformer Pilates, contrast therapy,

Everlast Dublin has Nike, Hyrox and MyProtein partnerships

Ireland has a large number of successful founder-led operations and independent clubs that may eventually seek capital for upgrades succession or expansion body scanning, social and workspace facilities and a Myprotein Kitchen. It will also become Ireland’s first official Hyrox Performance Centre.

Urban Gym Group has chosen acquisition, buying Iconic Health Clubs’ four Dublin locations. The sites will operate under its TrainMore and Clubsportive brands, giving the business an immediate operating platform while targeting different customer segments.

Taken together, the three strategies suggest international operators see opportunities across the value, premium and wellbeing markets.

Domestic strengths These international arrivals join an established and varied domestic market for health and fitness.

Alongside Flyefit are premium operator West Wood Club, mid-market chain Gym Plus, value operator BD Gyms – formerly Ben Dunne Gyms – as well as hotel health clubs, university gyms, franchises and a large number of independents and boutiques.

Public leisure also plays an important role. Aura Leisure operates facilities in partnership with local authorities, LeisureWorld has an established presence in Cork and numerous council-owned centres provide pools, gyms and health programmes, some directly and some under contract.

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This mixed economy distinguishes Ireland from markets dominated by dry, low-cost gyms, but it also makes the sector harder to measure. Public leisure centres, hotel health clubs and commercial operators often compete for the same members, highlighting the need for consistent market definitions if the industry is to benchmark its progress.

How much further could it grow?

HCM has modelled three market-capacity scenarios using Ireland’s April 2025 population of 5.46 million.

If penetration reached 17 per cent – broadly comparable with the UK’s current level – Ireland would have around 928,000 members, annual revenues of approximately €464 million and capacity for 620 – 663 clubs and substantial fitness centres.

That represents potential for up to 223 additional facilities beyond today’s estimated supply.

At 20 per cent penetration, membership would exceed 1.09 million, revenues would reach €546 million and the market could support 728–780 facilities, creating scope for up to 330 more locations.

A longer-term scenario of 23 per cent penetration, comparable with more mature markets, would support 1.26 million members, annual revenues of around €628 million and 837 – 897 clubs or 447 more.

Our clubs in Dublin will cover different segments: TrainMore is known for its reward-based model (members earn back €1 per workout) and Clubsportive is our premium concept. The clubs will add recovery facilities, including red-light therapy and saunas

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Neil Randal at the HCM Summit 2025 http://lei.sr/Q3h2t

Alongside the private sector, public leisure has an important role

These are not forecasts, but illustrations of what the market could sustain if participation, supply and consumer adoption continue to increase. Continued population growth would raise the figures further.

Achieving UK-level penetration would require significant investment. Using an indicative development cost of €1 – €1.5 million per site, creating 150 facilities could represent investment of €150 – €225 million, although the total will depend on the balance between full-service clubs and other formats.

A M&A market emerges Urban Gym Group’s acquisition of Iconic is significant because it demonstrates that established Irish operators are becoming acquisition targets.

The company has pursued a buy-and-build strategy alongside organic growth, making Ireland its third

market after the Netherlands and the UK, following its acquisition of Gymbox in 2024. It now operates more than 60 locations and previously raised €16 million in growth capital to support expansion.

The deal provides a potential template for further consolidation. Ireland has a large number of successful founder-led operators, regional groups and independent clubs that may eventually seek capital for succession, refurbishment, technology upgrades, energy efficiency or expansion.

Potential buyers could include larger domestic operators, European strategic investors, private equity-backed platforms and family offices.

Flyefit and BD Gyms are perhaps the most obvious large-scale acquisition targets because of their estates and financial performance, although there is no indication their owners are seeking a transaction. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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D E V ELOPM ENT

International capital has noticed what domestic operators have been building for years – and others are likely to follow

URBAN GYM GROUP / TRAINMORE

Trainmore, a reward-based model from Urban Gym Group, will open in Dublin

Premium estates such as West Wood Club would also be difficult to replicate through greenfield development, while selected boutique concepts may present opportunities for consolidation if their community appeal can be preserved.

A broader health role Ireland’s long-term potential cannot be judged solely by the number of conventional gym memberships it can generate. The larger opportunity lies in expanding the sector’s role within the nation’s health system.

An ageing population requires accessible strength and mobility provision. High levels of inactivity create demand for supported entry-level exercise. Employers are looking for ways to improve workforce health, while government and healthcare providers face increasing pressure to reduce preventable illness.

Operators that combine fitness with health assessment, rehabilitation, weight management, healthy ageing and social connection will be well placed to reach consumers who do not currently identify as gym users.

Public leisure will be central because of its community reach, swimming provision and relationships with local authorities. Commercial operators also have an important role, particularly as technology, body composition analysis and personalised programming make preventative health services more scalable.

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contrast therapy, illustrates how the definition of a gym has already evolved dramatically.

Ireland’s inflection point PureGym, Everlast and Urban Gym Group are taking different approaches, but they’ve reached the same conclusion: Ireland offers significant room for growth.

The Republic already has sophisticated domestic operators and a substantial fitness market. It’s far from a blank canvas and international entrants will face experienced competitors with strong local brands, established property networks and loyal memberships.

Yet HCM’s analysis suggests Ireland remains underpenetrated relative to its demographics, participation rates and economic strength. The next phase of development will be shaped by competition for sites, investment in new and existing facilities, further consolidation and the industry’s ability to engage people who have yet to embrace exercise.

For years, Ireland’s fitness market has grown steadily beneath the radar. The arrival of three international operators in quick succession suggests that period is coming to an end. International capital has noticed what domestic operators have been building for years and others are likely to follow. l

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SPECIFIER

Strong healthy glutes contribute to everything from knee stability to pelvic floor health.

Julie Cramer talks to the innovators about how their specialised glute equipment can have a real impact

SHUTTERSTOCK / ZAMRZNUTI TONOVI

GLUTE GAINS

Glute training zones can attract and retain more members

CORE HEALTH AND FITNESS

Marty Linthicum Core Health and Fitness Glute training delivers far more than aesthetic benefits. As one of the largest and most powerful muscle groups in the body, the glutes play a critical role in lower-body strength, athletic performance, posture, balance and injury prevention.

Strong glutes support efficient movement patterns during walking, running, lifting, climbing and everyday activities. They also help reduce stress on the lower back, hips and knees by improving stability and alignment. For fitness facilities, glute training remains one of the most in-demand workout categories, making it a valuable addition when it comes to attracting and retaining members.

The most effective glute training combines progressive overload, full range of motion and movement variety. Exercises should target all three glute muscles through hip extension, abduction and stabilisation patterns. Dedicated glute exercises such as hip thrusts are particularly effective because they place the glutes under high levels of tension throughout the movement while minimising compensation from other muscle groups.

Dedicated glute equipment provides a targeted training experience that members actively seek out A balanced programme should include both bilateral and unilateral exercises, controlled tempo and consistent progression in resistance.

Training the glutes two to three times per week typically delivers the best results for strength, performance and muscle development.

More: www.corehandf.com

CORE HEALTH AND FITNESS

THE NAUTILUS GLUTE DRIVE

Dedicated equipment enhances the safety of glute training

Our glute drive recreates the biomechanics of a barbell hip thrust in a safer, more comfortable and accessible format. Its patented design allows users to achieve optimal glute activation without the discomfort, setup time or technical barriers associated with traditional hip thrusts, making it ideal for commercial facilities.

Dedicated glute equipment provides a targeted training experience that members actively seek out. It improves accessibility, enhances safety and encourages proper technique.

For operators, it helps increase equipment utilisation, member satisfaction and differentiation, while supporting one of the fastest-growing training categories in commercial fitness. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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SPECIFIER

THE BLK BOX PLATE-LOADED HIP THRUST MACHINE

BLKBOX / ANNA HASLETT RISE MEDIA

This machine is built around one of the most effective and popular glute training movements: the hip thrust. Its simple design provides added support, stability and comfort, allowing users to ‘lift heavy’ with confidence while keeping the focus on powerful hip extension and glute activation.

Specifying dedicated glute equipment helps operators create a clear training zone, improving gym flow and member safety. It reduces setup time, improves comfort versus barbell hip thrusts and gives members a more accessible way to train glutes without compromising on load or training effect.

Greg Bradley BLK BOX Glute training builds strength through the posterior chain, supporting hip extension, lower-body power and better movement efficiency. Strong glutes play an important role in sprinting, jumping, lifting change of direction and everyday movements such as walking, climbing stairs and getting up from the floor.

While glute aesthetics are often a driver in commercial gyms, the benefits go far beyond appearance. Well-developed glutes can help improve pelvic control, support the lower back and contribute to more stable movement through the hips, knees and trunk.

The most effective approach to training glutes is to combine compound lower-body strength work with targeted hip-extension exercises. Squats, deadlifts, lunges and step-ups all contribute, but hip thrusts are especially effective because they load the glutes directly through hip extension.

For best results, athletes should train through a full, controlled range of motion, progressively increase load over time and include a mix of heavier strength work and higher-rep accessory work. Consistency, good setup and the ability to push hard safely are key.

Dedicated glute equipment helps operators create a clear training zone, improving gym flow and member safety

More: www.blkboxfitness.com

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Greg Bradley

BLKBOX

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The machine offers more comfort and safety than barbell hip thrusts

For exercisers of all ages and abilities, glute-focused training can improve power, stability and everyday movement efficiency Lynn Wilson Matrix Fitness

THE MATRIX GLUTE TRAINER

Lynn Wilson

back, hip and knee injuries. The most effective glute training combines progressive resistance, full range of motion and movement variety. To fully activate the glute muscles, programmes should include exercises that target hip thrust, squat, hinge, abduction and kickback patterns.

Consistency and correct biomechanics are equally important, ensuring users can train safely while maintaining muscle engagement throughout each movement. Dedicated glute equipment can further enhance results by isolating the muscles more effectively than many traditional compound exercises, making workouts accessible and efficient for both beginners and experienced users.

More: www.matrixfitness.com

MATRIX FITNESS

Our glute trainer is designed to deliver targeted muscle activation, intuitive biomechanics and user-friendly adjustability.

This combines with build quality delivering smooth movement patterns that help users train comfortably, safely and effectively, while giving operators compact, durable equipment that meets growing demand for glute-focused workouts.

Dedicated glute equipment helps operators meet one of the fastest-growing member demands while improving accessibility and results. It enables more effective muscle isolation, supports safer movement patterns and creates a more inclusive training experience, helping clubs differentiate their strength offering.

MATRIX FITNESS

For exercisers of all ages and abilities, glute-focused training can improve power, stability and everyday movement efficiency. It’s also one of the most in-demand training areas among members today, driven by both performance and body-toning goals. As a result, effective glute training not only supports member outcomes, but can also increase engagement and retention for operators.

Strong glutes are fundamental to posture, balance, athletic performance and functional movement, while also helping to reduce the risk of lower-

Muscles can be more easily isolated with a dedicated machine

SPECIFIER

PRECOR GLUTEBUILDER Our glute equipment is purpose-built around glute training and available exclusively from Precor.

Machines are engineered with thoughtful biomechanics, optimised resistance profiles and precise adjustments to deliver a superior training experience that helps exercisers target the glutes more effectively.

Glute training is one of the fastest-growing categories in fitness, driven by strong member demand for measurable results. Dedicated glute equipment helps operators create differentiated training spaces, improve the member experience and support better outcomes. It’s an investment that can increase engagement, attract new members, and strengthen retention.

PRECOR

maximise results while supporting balanced, functional strength.

Precor The glutes are the largest, Effective glute training requires most powerful muscle group in more than simply performing squats the body, making them essential or lunges. The glutes are made up for movement, performance of three muscles – gluteus maximus, and overall health. While many Simon Overing medius, and minimus – each responsible associate glute training with aesthetics, for different movement patterns and functions. strong glutes also play a critical role To develop strength, stability, and muscle in posture, balance, stability and mobility. activation, training should incorporate a variety They support everyday activities such as walking, of exercises that challenge the glutes through hip climbing stairs, and lifting, while reducing stress on extension, abduction, rotation, and stabilisation. the lower back, hips, knees and ankles. For athletes, The most effective programmes combine compound stronger glutes contribute to improved speed, power movements with targeted isolation exercises, and performance. Whether the goal is looking better, while progressively increasing resistance over time. moving better or performing better, glute training By training the glutes through multiple planes of delivers benefits that extend well beyond the gym. motion and ranges of movement, exercisers can More: www.precor.com

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PRECOR

Simon Overing

Glutes support daily activities like walking and climbing stairs

Tracy Morrell React Fitness

REACT FITNESS

The most effective glute training combines progressive overload, full range of motion and exercises that challenge the muscles through multiple movement patterns. A well-rounded programme should target all three glute muscles using hip thrusts, squats, lunges, hinging movements and abduction exercises.

Consistent resistance, proper technique and sufficient training volume are key to driving adaptation and growth. It’s well established that exercises maintaining high glute activation throughout the movement, particularly in both the lengthened and shortened muscle positions, can maximise strength development and muscle growth while minimising compensation from surrounding muscle groups.

Glute training delivers far more than aesthetic benefits. Strong glutes are essential for posture, balance, stability and efficient movement, helping to improve performance in everything from walking and climbing stairs to running and sport.

As the body’s largest and most powerful muscle group, the glutes play a key role in generating force, supporting the pelvis and spine, and reducing stress on the lower back, hips, and knees. Regular glute training can improve lower-body strength, power, mobility, and overall functional fitness, making everyday activities easier while helping to reduce the risk of injury.

Tracy Morrell

Member demand for glute-focused training continues to grow, but traditional strength equipment isn’t designed to optimise glute activation

More: www.react-fitness.com

REACT FITNESS

BOOTY BUILDER

The Booty Builder features raised foot positioning

Booty Builder equipment is specifically engineered to maximise glute activation through patented designs and biomechanics that traditional strength machines cannot replicate. Features such as raised-foot positioning and horizontal loading help maintain tension on the glutes throughout the movement, creating a safer, more effective and more targeted training experience for users of all levels.

Member demand for glute-focused training continues to grow, but traditional strength equipment isn’t designed to optimise glute activation. Booty Builder’s patented equipment effortlessly targets movement patterns to deliver a superior training experience, drive member engagement and maximise return on equipment investment. ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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SPECIFIER

LIFE FITNESS / HAMMER STRENGTH MACHINES

Every product starts with understanding how the body moves

Members are increasingly recognising the benefits of glute training for performance, injury prevention, healthy ageing and overall strength Fiona Bibby

LIFE FITNESS

There’s no single exercise that builds strong glutes. The best results Life Fitness / come from combining different Hammer Strength movement patterns that challenge muscles in multiple ways.

From a fitness industry perspective, At Life Fitness / Hammer demand for glute-focused training Strength, every product starts has never been higher. Members with understanding how the body are increasingly recognising moves. Our glute training equipment the benefits for performance, is designed around biomechanics, injury prevention, healthy ageing helping users train effectively through and overall strength, creating a natural movement patterns. Combined Fiona Bibby valuable opportunity for operators. with intuitive adjustments, accessibility Glute training has evolved far beyond aesthetics. and the durability we are known for, it delivers As the body’s largest and most powerful muscle consistent performance in commercial environments. group, the glutes play a fundamental role in every Free weights remain an important part of any movement, from walking and climbing stairs to strength offering, but dedicated glute equipment sprinting, lifting and changing direction. Strong glutes improves efficiency and member appeal. It allows can improve posture, enhance athletic performance more people to train confidently, reduces pressure on and provide stability around the hips, knees and lower free weight areas and offers better gym floor flow. For back, making their maintenance essential for both clubs, it’s an effective way to meet growing demand. everyday movement and long-term joint health.

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LIFE FITNESS / HAMMER STRENGTH

Hip thrusts using our Plate-Loaded Glute Drive are excellent for generating high levels of glute activation, while squats using our Smith Machine or Belt Squat help develop strength safely and effectively through a full range of motion.

Romanian deadlifts, cable kickbacks and hamstring-focused movements using the Dual Adjustable Pulley support posterior chain development, while hip abductor exercises target the gluteus medius to improve stability. Progressive overload and consistent training remain the keys to long-term results.

The glute machine reduces spinal compression

We use biomechanically optimised paths on our equipment to isolate the glutes, reduce spinal compression and provide easy-to-use and effective glute training options for a wide variety of users. The wide variety of strength equipment from Drax allow users to choose comfortable, easy to learn and effective movements for the glutes.

Many free weight exercises for the glutes are more difficult to learn and perform safely. They also share the load with the quads, hamstrings and other stabilisers, limiting glute focus. Dedicated machines deliver higher isolation, safer loading and faster progression and can keep members training longer and harder.

DRAX FITNESS

DRAX GLUTE OPTIONS

Rob Thurston As the body’s largest muscle group, strong glutes boost athletic power, sprinting, jumping and lifting efficiency. They stabilise the pelvis, improve posture, reduce lower-back and knee strain, and fix muscle imbalances from prolonged sitting. Aesthetically, they shape the hips and enhance symmetry, while supporting functional mobility and long-term independence.

Train the glutes two to three times a week using a variety of both compound and isolation movements to target all three muscle groups maximus, medius and minimus for balanced development.

To target the glute maximus movements such as Hip Thrusts, Squats, Bulgarian Split Squats, Leg Presses, Cable kickbacks and Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) are all effective options. To target the glute minimus and medius, movements such as seated hip abduction, standing cable hip abduction and lying banded clamshells are all effective options.

More: www.draxfit.co.uk

DRAX FITNESS

Drax Fitness

Rob Thurston

Dedicated glute machines deliver higher isolation, safer loading and faster progression and can keep members training longer and harder ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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SPECIFIER

SHUA FITNESS

Eddie Huang Shua Fitness Eddie Huang

We see glute training as much more than an aesthetic trend. Strong glutes are essential for everyday movement, helping to improve posture, stability and lower-body strength while supporting the hips, knees and lower back. They’re also key to athletic performance, from running and jumping to lifting and changing direction. As more members understand these wider benefits, dedicated glute training has become an important part of strength programmes for people of all ages and abilities.

In our experience, effective glute training comes from using a variety of movement patterns rather than relying on a single exercise. Squats, lunges, hip hinge movements and hip thrusts all have their place, while dedicated glute training machines can help users isolate the muscles more effectively and build confidence with the movement. The right approach will vary depending on an individual’s goals and experience, but a balanced programme that challenges the glutes through different ranges of motion is likely to deliver the best long-term results.

Dedicated glute equipment helps more members train confidently and effectively, particularly those who may be less comfortable with free weights

More: www.shuafitness.com

SHUA GLUTE EQUIPMENT

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SHUA FITNESS

We design our glute equipment to make targeted training more accessible and repeatable. The movement patterns are intended to encourage effective glute engagement while providing a comfortable, stable training position for users with a wide range of experience and ability.

We’ve found that dedicated glute equipment helps more members train confidently and effectively, particularly those who may be less comfortable with free weights. It also reflects the growing demand for glute-focused training and gives operators a more complete and inclusive strength offering.

Glutes are key for everyday activity and athletic performance

DESIGN SMARTER. TRAIN HARDER. Creating a high-impact glute zone doesn’t mean sacrificing space.

With smart planning, even compact areas can deliver serious results.

Whether it’s a full glute zone or a targeted corner, we will help every square foot work harder.

SEE THE PRODUCTS IN ACTION

SOCIAL WELLNESS

s

the

curated life

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Social wellness brand Hume has brought personalised wellness to another level in Venice Beach, as HCM’s Kath Hudson reports

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As former competitive athletes and lifelong world travellers, we were inspired to create an experience that tends to be reserved for destinations

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SOCIAL WELLNESS

A signature lymphatic drainage treatment was developed in partnership with Rebecca Faria

F

ounded by Roger Briggs and Sandy Bole, Hume offers multi-level, indoor-outdoor spaces that aim to combine the best elements of a gym, spa and hospitality destination. The highly-designed environment features custom equipment, natural materials, abundant natural light and site-specific artwork and installations.

“As former competitive athletes and lifelong world travellers, we were inspired to create an experience that tended to be reserved for destination vacations and elaborate retreats,”

says Briggs. “Beyond Hume’s extensive fitness and wellness offerings, we’ve worked closely with our communities to curate everything from the architecture and design, music, sound system, lighting, scent and even landscaping to promote physical activity, presence and recovery as integral parts of daily life.”

Bole adds: “Equinox played a role in shaping our approach to the business. We also drew inspiration from wellness-specific destinations, luxury hotel properties and the best aspects of country clubs.”

Holistic offering

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Briggs (l) and Bole (r) have created a calm and natural space close to the ocean

PHOTO: HUME

PHOTO: HUME

Classes include different forms of yoga, from acupressure and yin yoga to power core flow yoga. There are sound baths,

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Membership dues are US$400/month, plus a $500 initiation fee

meditation, breathwork, reformer Pilates, primal flow, HIIT and sculpt classes, delivered by instructors with varied backgrounds.

Recovery therapies include a signature lymphatic drainage treatment developed in partnership with Rebecca Faria of Detox by Rebecca; physical therapy, reiki, acupuncture, breathwork, stretch and percussive therapy and a hyperbaric chamber.

Hume has also partnered with Los Angeles-based doctor and medical director, Abe Malkin, to create a holistic menu of IV therapies and supplements. Add-ons and supplements

include NAD, Vitamin C, Glutathione, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Lipostat, Biotin. For more personalised medical programmes, including comprehensive bloodwork and peptides, members can access Malkin’s platform, Concierge MD. Members are invited to relax on the rooftop deck and lounge space, with fresh-pressed juices, signature smoothies, coffee, teas and non-alcoholic drinks curated by alcohol-free retailer and discovery platform, The New Bar. The design was inspired by historical sites, such as the Palaestra of Pompeii and Moroccan ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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SOCIAL WELLNESS

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

It was important to us to celebrate local experts, artists and designers

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Interiors refl ect natural earth walls found in Morocco

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

hammams, which are known for their rammed earth walls made from dark brown soils, porous sandstones and warm sunlight.

Local creators Custom artwork and design pieces by local artisans feature around the interior

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Custom artwork and design pieces by various celebrated local artisans and designers are showcased. These include a hand-carved reception desk by Topanga-based sculptor Chad Hagerman; concrete benches by Los Angelesbased concrete artist, Thomas Musca, cold tubs by Venice-based designer and fabricator Martin Meunier and ceramic installations, soap bottles, sculptural lights and door handles from Venice-based ceramic artist, Louise Martens.

Local scent designer, Fabrice Guyont, created a custom scent that’s used for incense, candles and room sprays. Bonnie Hvillum, of Copenhagenbased design studio Natural Material Studio, developed a series of hanging bio-textiles to accentuate the natural light throughout the space.

“It was important to us to celebrate local experts, artists and designers,” says

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SOCIAL WELLNESS

Community is at the forefront of everything we do

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

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Social spaces are a big part of the mix

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Bole. “Community is at the forefront of everything we do and bringing together so many unique perspectives grounded in a relaxed, yet refined, sensibility has been one of the great joys of this project.

“To create a warm, soulful ambience with just the right energy balance, we collaborated with Max Ville, a local speaker designer and DJ, to develop custom speakers and a curated playlist tailored for the space. Our goal was to create an energetic ambiance that complements the environment without overwhelming it.”

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Cold tubs were created by Sandy Bole for Hume

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PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

SOCIAL WELLNESS

Membership includes access to the gym, group classes, spa and lounge

Every weight, machine, and Pilates reformer, including upholstery, was custom-designed for the space. Osea Malibu bath and skincare product are freatured throughout the spa and showers.

“Our community attracts a diverse range of people committed to investing in their health and wellness. We welcome individuals of all ages and backgrounds, creating an inclusive environment for everyone, wherever they may be on their wellness journey,” says Bole.

“We’re focused on developing the experience and community in Venice before looking to open further sites.” ● More: www.hume.la 106

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Every weight, machine, and Pilates reformer, including upholstery, was custom-designed for the space

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

The design makes use of the many large windows to softly fi lter light through the club

PHOTO: HUME / YOSHIHIRO MAKINO

Members can enjoy the LA sunshine on the roof terrace

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Orbit4 manages assets, operations, compliance and performance

ORBIT4 / VIRGIN ACTIVE

SPONSORED

V IR

Taking control

GIN

ACTIVE

Virgin Active South Africa selects Orbit4 to power its nationwide asset management transformation

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irgin Active South Africa has selected Orbit4 to implement a new digital asset management platform across 120+ clubs, reinforcing its commitment to operational efficiency, supplier oversight and enhanced member experience.

The rollout marks a significant shift away from fragmented systems and manual processes – including multiple call-logging platforms and spreadsheetbased tracking – towards a unified, app-based solution that centralises asset data, maintenance workflows and performance management.

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Managing assets

“By moving to a single, intelligent platform, we gain a reliable, realtime view of our fitness assets and performance across every club, improving operational efficiency while ensuring we deliver a consistently high-quality experience for our members.”

Key drivers behind the initiative include control over maintenance costs and supplier performance and improved asset lifecycle management and decision-making.

Other benefits include reduced operational risk in high-turnover environments and consistent delivery of brand and service standards across all locations.

Following a successful pilot, Virgin Active confirmed a national rollout after seeing clear improvements in usability, data quality, and operational control.

“This partnership represents a critical step in modernising how we manage our fitness equipment and supplier ecosystem,” says Portia Braaf, head of equipment assets. “It’s about simplifying complexity and putting control back into our business.

The Orbit4 platform introduces several enhancements to equipment maintenance processes, including a single, centralised system to log fitness equipment faults and direct allocation of service requests to preferred suppliers.

“We designed Orbit4 to give operators full visibility and control over their assets in real-time,” says Steve Ruffell, general manager EMEA

Enhancements

“This partnership represents a critical step in modernising how we manage our fitness equipment and supplier ecosystem” Portia Braaf, head of equipment assets, Virgin Active South Africa

at Orbit4. “Working with Virgin Active South Africa, we’re enabling a scalable, data-driven approach that improves accountability while reducing downtime and operational risk.”

This transformation establishes a more efficient, transparent, and standardised approach to equipment maintenance, ensuring consistency across clubs while enabling faster response times and improved operational control.

The platform is expected to support Virgin Active’s strategic priorities, including extending asset lifespan through proactive preventative maintenance, improving capital and operational expenditure planning, and reducing equipment downtime. ● More: https://orbit4.org

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“That includes the gym floors, the studios, the lounges, shower facilities and changing rooms.”

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uffield Health is reimagining the spaces its members use every day as part of an ongoing programme to transform its health clubs.

The focus is on creating an elevated experience that reflects member expectations and supports the operator’s commitment to health and wellbeing.

One of the latest sites to benefit is the Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Club in Cambridge, where newly upgraded changing facilities have been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from members.

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Lockers as it invests in member wellbeing and experience To help deliver the project, Nuffield Health partnered with Safe Space Lockers, selecting the company for its industry reputation, collaborative approach and expertise in modern changing environments.

Close collaboration “We partnered with Safe Space for a number of reasons,” says Gujral.

“Their reputation, the work they’ve previously carried out within the industry and the fact that they come very highly recommended by the operators they work with.”

Working closely with Nuffield Health’s architects, designers and programme team, Safe Space helped refine the original concepts to ensure the finished facilities aligned with members’ needs.

“They contributed valuable design input on how the trends shaping changing spaces are evolving,” Gujral continues. “They worked with our architects and design team to improve our ultimate finished design.”

“Safe Space contributed valuable input on how trends shaping changing spaces are evolving” Gurpreet Gujral, chief operating officer – fitness, Nuffield Health

Importantly, the investment is delivering results and feedback on the newly-opened Cambridge club has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Members absolutely love the environment,” says Gujral. “They’ve given us a big thumbs up.”

That success has led Nuffield Health to continue working with Safe Space on further changing room upgrades across its estate. ● More: www.safespacelockers.co.uk ©Cybertrek 2026 Issue 7 2026

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RESEARCH

Feeling fresh

T

A team at the University of Columbia set out to establish the optimum movement patterns for people working at desks, as Kath Hudson reports

aking a five-minute movement break every hour is the most practical and effective way to reduce the mental and physical fatigue associated with desk work, according to new research that could create opportunities for operators to support members beyond the gym.

A two-week study, involving more than 11,000 US office workers, found that hourly movement breaks offered the best balance between effectiveness and practicality, improving mood, energy and physical wellbeing without reducing productivity.

While taking a five-minute break every 30 minutes delivered the greatest improvements in mood and energy, participants found this approach difficult to maintain. Waiting two hours between breaks proved easier to sustain, but was significantly less effective.

By contrast, hourly movement breaks consistently exceeded the threshold for delivering meaningful improvements in mood and energy while also fitting more easily into working routines.

Impact on productivity Importantly for employers, the intervention had no negative effect on productivity. Participants instead reported improvements in work engagement of between 4 and 7 per cent, alongside 1 to 3 per cent gains in perceived job performance.

Lead author Dr Keith Diaz, associate professor of behavioural science at Columbia University, said: “Even 114

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Movement breaks can actually boost work performance. They can also improve executive function, attention and memory, while helping people feel more relaxed though it may seem counter-intuitive, movement breaks can actually boost work performance. They can also improve executive function, attention and memory, while helping people feel more relaxed and fresh.”

The role of health clubs The findings strengthen the case for health clubs to extend their role beyond structured exercise sessions into workplace movement and behaviour change.

Operators are increasingly supporting corporate clients through digital coaching, movement prompts and wellbeing programmes designed to reduce sedentary behaviour throughout the working day, rather than focusing solely on visits to their gym or health club.

The researchers concluded that structured movement breaks should be considered for inclusion in future physical activity guidelines and corporate health policies.

The study, Evaluating movement breaks as a public health strategy to mitigate the harms of prolonged sitting: a large-scale pragmatic intervention, was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. ● More: www.hcmmag.com/fiveminutes

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A five-minute workout break every hour is optimal

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