When it comes to types of gyms in 2026, there’s a spectrum with distinct economics; each one asks you to run a different kind of fitness business. People are increasingly paying for the format—the model—that fits the way they want to move, recover, socialize, and stay accountable.
“Health is the new wealth,” says Alec Spycher, senior director of club operations at Equinox in an interview with Forbes. “What used to happen over drinks is now happening in fitness spaces, lounges, and recovery areas.”
He’s right. And the demand for these “social anchor” places is real. McKinsey’s Future of Wellness survey pegs the global wellness and fitness industry at $2 trillion, with US consumers accounting for more than $500 billion of that spend and growing 4% to 5% every year.
If you enjoy a fit lifestyle and want to “do what you love,” there are plenty of fitness business ideas to consider, including opening your own gym or studio. Ahead, this guide covers the major types of gyms, who they attract, and how they make money today.
Types of gyms
Below are the main types of gyms individual founders gravitate toward; and what each one demands from you in terms of space, capital, and day-to-day reality.
Powerlifting gyms
Powerlifting is a strength-training sport built on three core lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The typical setup is simple: barbells, platforms, racks, benches, and open floor space.
Experts project the global weight training market (equipment and services) to grow from $12.1 billion in 2025 to $16.26 billion by 2035.
Membership models tend to be straightforward: monthly access, with optional add-ons for personalized programming, technique coaching, and meet prep. Day passes work well too, especially in cities with visiting lifters.
Essential equipment list:
- Competition-grade power racks
- Flat and adjustable benches
- Power bars, deadlift bars, and squat bars
- Calibrated steel plates and/or bumper plates
- Deadlift and squat/bench platforms
- Rubber flooring or drop zones rated for heavy impact
- Specialty bars (safety squat bar, trap/hex bar)
- Chains, bands, chalk stands, plate storage
- Optional: rowers, air bikes, sleds, farmer’s carry handles
From a business standpoint, powerlifting gyms sit at the lower end of the traditional gym-startup spectrum, which ranges from approximately $50,000 for barebones studios to more than $500,000 for full-service facilities.
If you’re starting your own powerlifting gym, your essential kit will revolve around free weights: adjustable benches, squat racks, calibrated plates, barbells (power bars, deadlift bars, safety squat bars), kettlebells, dumbbells, and rubber flooring that can handle years of impact. You can add conditioning pieces like rowers or sleds, but they’re not core to the model.
- Pros: Highly loyal member base and lower build-out complexity compared with machine-heavy gyms.
- Cons: Niche audience limits total membership, and location options can be constrained by noise and load requirements.
Yoga studios
Yoga studios offer instructor-led classes focused on flexibility, balance, breathwork, and mindful movement. The typical setup is minimal: mats, props, mirrors, and an open room that can transition from vinyasa to restorative to hot yoga, depending on the format.
The global yoga market is projected to grow $125.82 billion in 2025 to $230 billion by 2032.
Membership models vary by studio type: class packs, drop-in rates, and unlimited monthly memberships. Boutique studios often bundle on-demand or livestream options, while hot yoga formats charge slightly higher rates due to heating and ventilation costs.
Essential equipment list:
- Yoga mats
- Yoga blocks
- Yoga straps
- Bolsters and blankets
- Studio-quality, non-slip flooring
- Mirrors
- Air purifiers and ventilation systems (especially for hot yoga)
- Sound system for music and mic’d instruction
- Storage cubbies and front desk area
Most studios operate comfortably with 800 square feet to 2,000 square feet, allowing 15 to 30 students per class, depending on the layout and spacing.
From a business standpoint, yoga studios sit on the lower to mid-range of the gym-startup spectrum. Industry sources place small studio setup costs beginning around $15,000, with premium hot yoga or multiroom studios reaching $50,000 or more, depending on HVAC upgrades, flooring, and instructor payroll.
If you’re starting your own yoga studio, your biggest investments will be the room itself: flooring, heating systems (for hot yoga), mirrors, lighting, and acoustics.
- Pros: High margins once classes fill, strong community loyalty, and opportunities for retreats, workshops, and teacher training.
- Cons: Highly competitive urban markets and recurring dependence on instructor charisma, consistency, and retention.
📚Read more: How to Open a Yoga Studio
Personal training gyms
Personal training gyms are spaces designed to offer personal training sessions. In these sessions, a certified trainer works with clients on a customized physical fitness plan based on the individual’s goals. Although other types of gyms, like boxing gyms or CrossFit gyms, do personal training, these types of gyms are created solely for personal trainers to offer their services.
The global personal fitness trainer market is estimated at $47.4 billion in 2025, and projected to grow to about $66.7 billion by 2032.
Essential equipment list:
- Adjustable benches
- Dumbbells (wide range)
- Kettlebells
- Cable machine/functional trainer
- Sled or resistance band station
- Rowers or bikes (for functional/conditioning add-ons)
- Mats and open space for movement, mobility, bodyweight drills
- Software for scheduling and client tracking
Personal training gyms fall on the lower to mid-range of the startup spectrum. Small personal training studios may cost $50,000 to $100,000 or more to launch, while full-service gyms cost a lot more.
- Pros: High revenue per client, and strong retention when coaching quality is consistent.
- Cons: Trainer turnover and scheduling bottlenecks can limit growth, and revenue depends heavily on staff expertise.
Rock climbing gyms
Rock climbing gyms cater to both bouldering and rope-based climbing, offering a mix of fitness, skill development, and community. People come to climb, train skills like technique and endurance, socialize, and participate in events.
The market is sizable and variable: startup costs can range from $250,000 to more than $1 million, depending on wall size, facilities, and location.
Membership models typically combine unlimited climbing passes (monthly/annual), day passes (strong in urban areas), youth programs, events/competitions, and gear rental.
Essential equipment list:
- Climbing walls (bouldering and lead/rope)
- Crash pads or thick flooring systems
- Auto-belays or rope systems (for lead climbing)
- Harnesses, ropes, carabiners, quickdraws
- Climbing holds and volumes (refreshed regularly)
- Belay stations, anchors, wall surfaces
- Rental shoes and chalk bags
- Simple retail/shop area (climbing gear and apparel)
- Safety signage, route setting tools, first-aid kits
Safety certification and regulatory requirements:
- Staff and route-setters often need certification in climbing wall safety, belay standards, anchor inspection, and first aid/CPR.
- Walls and anchors must meet structural engineering standards, and be inspected regularly.
- Waivers are essential: Safety protocols (helmet/harness use, youth supervision) reduce liability and may improve insurance terms.
- Premiums and risk categories improve if you invest in safety systems (auto-belays, durable flooring, clear rules).
For a climbing gym you’re dealing with high capital, heavy risk, and ongoing maintenance.
Insurance coverage is more critical here than many other gym types. For example, general liability limits from $1 million to $5 million, accident/medical benefits in gym-specific policies, and minimum premiums around $5,000 and up.
- Pros: Unique experience attracts families, youth, corporate or event-based revenue streams, and high engagement.
- Cons: Very high startup cost and insurance risk, heavy build-out complexity, maintenance and staff must be experts.
Big-box gyms
Big-box gyms offer broad access to cardio machines, strength equipment, group classes, and amenities like locker rooms, saunas, child care, and sometimes pools or courts. These are the high-volume, high-amenity gyms built to serve a wide demographic, from first-timers to everyday exercisers.
The US gym and health club industry (where big-box gyms represent the largest share of revenue) generates between $45 billion and $50 billion annually, with steady mid-single-digit growth.
Membership models usually revolve around multitier monthly plans. Lower tiers offer basic gym access, while higher tiers unlock group classes, premium amenities, or multilocation access.
Essential equipment list:
- Rows of cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, stair machines)
- Selectorized strength machines
- Free weight zones (racks, benches, dumbbells)
- Functional training area
- Group fitness studio with sound and lighting
- Locker rooms, showers, restrooms
- Optional: pool, sauna/steam, turf, basketball courts
- Front-desk/check-in system and customer relationship management (CRM)
Big-box gyms are among the most capital-intensive fitness formats. Build-out and equipment for large commercial facilities often fall in the $400,000 to $1 million and up range (with build-out alone costing around $50 to $100 per square foot) and require high member volumes just to turn a profit.
Many big-box and franchise chains now run 24/7 operations, using keycard entry, reduced overnight staffing, and automated check-ins to maximize convenience and spread out peak-hour congestion. This model supports higher member counts without requiring proportional increases in staff or floor space.
- Pros: Broadest appeal, multiple revenue streams, scalable with membership volume, and strong brand potential.
- Cons: Very high startup cost, operational complexity, heavy staffing requirements, and intense competition on price and amenities.
Pilates studios
Pilates studios specialize in controlled, mindful movement, often using specific apparatus (like reformers) rather than heavy weight machines or cardio rows.
The apparatus-based format means the equipment and training requirements differ significantly from standard gym models. For example, studio-grade reformers cost between $2,000 and $3,500 each, with high-end units priced around $6,000. Instructor certification for apparatus-based Pilates often costs $3,000 to $6,000 and takes six to 18 months to complete.
Membership models commonly use class packs, monthly unlimited access, private session upsells, and small-group reformer classes.
Essential equipment list:
- Reformer machines (four to eight units for a growing studio)
- Cadillac/tower apparatus (optional but premium)
- Chairs/barrels (Wunda, Ladder Barrel)
- Mats, straps, bands and other small props
- Studio flooring, mirrors, sound/mic system
- Reception/front desk, booking/payment software
Pilates studios generally start between $50,000 and $150,000 for basic setups and can climb to $200,000 and $400,000 or more for premium studios with multiple apparatus, high finish, and designer interiors.
- Pros: Premium pricing per class and strong retention when instructor quality is high.
- Cons: Equipment cost is high per unit; instructor certification and training are significant investments and attrition kills class fill rates.
📚Read more: How to Open a Pilates Studio
CrossFit gyms
CrossFit gyms (or “boxes”) operate on a model of coached group classes focused on functional movements, varied training, and community intensity. Clients sign up for scheduled class times: racks are shared, workouts are posted, and the culture is a big part of the product.
Membership models center on unlimited class access, often combined with on-ramp programs (intro phases) and optional personal training upsells for technique, weightlifting, or specialty athletes. According to CrossFit HQ’s own financial model, the average affiliate runs with 165 or more members and roughly $300,000 in annual revenue, with break-even around 127 members at $150 per month in membership fees.
Essential equipment list:
- Pull-up rigs/multistation racks
- Barbells and bumper plates
- Kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls
- Plyo boxes, rowers, air bikes, ski ergs
- Gymnastic rings, rings-stands, rigs for monkey bars
- Turf or open floor for sleds, carries
- Sound system and clock/timer board
- Storage for equipment and a small retail area
CrossFit gyms fit in the mid-capital spectrum: less than big-box chains but more than minimal studios. Equipment variety and class scheduling complexity raise costs. On the lean end, newer reports suggest gyms have launched for $20,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on space and markup.
- Pros: Strong community drives high engagement and referrals; premium monthly pricing relative to generic gyms.
- Cons: Membership ceiling (around 150 to 200) limits scale; coach quality and class capping matter; churn still a risk if culture and programming slip.
Martial arts studios
Martial arts studios offer skill-based training across disciplines like karate, taekwondo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts.
The global martial arts market is on a steady upswing, growing at 7.9% a year and forecasted to hit $171.14 billion by 2028.
Membership models vary by style, but most combine monthly tuition with belt-testing fees, uniform/gear sales, and specialty classes for kids or competition teams.
Essential equipment list:
- Mats (tatami or foam)
- Heavy bags and kick shields
- Gloves, focus mitts, Thai pads
- Crash mats (for throws/takedowns)
- Uniforms (gi/dobok) and belts
- Mirrors, timer, sound system
- Small retail area for gear and merch
Martial arts studios fall in a moderate startup range: opening a martial arts studio typically requires a $25,000 to $100,000 investment, with many schools landing around $50,000 once you account for matting, initial equipment, safety gear, and basic build-out.
Most traditional disciplines (karate, taekwondo, BJJ) follow a belt progression system, which functions as both a developmental pathway and a built-in retention engine. As students advance, studios typically charge for:
- Belt testing/promotion
- Grading events
- Specialized preparation classes
- Private sessions for higher-level techniques
Studios with strong youth and competition programs frequently host:
- In-house tournaments
- Inter-school competitions
- Seminars with visiting black belts
- Seasonal grading events
- Summer camps and kids’ intensives
These events can generate revenue through entry fees, spectator tickets, merchandise sales, sponsorships, and concessions.
- Pros: Built-in retention thanks to belt systems, strong family/kids programs, and multiple event-driven revenue streams.
- Cons: Instructor quality drives everything; scheduling can be complex; and safety/injury risk increases insurance needs.
Senior fitness gyms
Senior fitness gyms cater to adults aged 55 and up, 60 and up, or even 65 and up who want to maintain mobility, independence, strength, and social connection. The model focuses on safe, accessible programming, low-impact strength, balance work, post-hospitalization rehab, and community.
An aging American population is fueling demand: According to IBISWorld, 20% of US consumers will be over 65 by 2030, presenting an opportunity to increase solutions that support healthy aging and independence.
Membership models combine monthly access, tiered classes (balance, mobility, strength for older adults), wellness add-ons, and often partnerships with health-care/insurance plans or senior living communities.
Essential equipment list:
- Low-impact treadmills or recumbent bikes with handrails
- Resistance bands, light dumbbells, adjustable benches
- Stability balls, balance boards, step platforms
- Wide-door entrances, non-slip flooring, handrails in workout zones
- Chairs for seated classes, wall bars for assisted movement
- Front desk/kiosk system that integrates with member health tracking or partner programs
Senior fitness gyms align with both wellness and healthcare trends. Lower-impact build-out needs (versus big-box gyms) but higher requirements for accessibility, instructor training, and often regulatory/partnership compliance (with Medicare, AARP, senior living). They often need to factor in insurance coding, risk reduction, and accommodation of clients with varied physical abilities.
Medicare and health-care-partner opportunities:
- Many Medicare Advantage plans and wellness programs include “fitness benefit” reimbursements (e.g., a gym membership covered part or full by the plan) for older adults.
- Senior fitness gyms can partner with local healthcare providers, physical therapists, and senior living communities: offering classes, referral pipelines, and shared-services.
- Wellness certifications or medical-fitness credentials (e.g., certified older-adult fitness specialist) help position the gym as “health-adjacent” rather than generic gym, improving referral volumes and retention.
- Tracking and demonstrating outcomes (improved balance, fewer falls, better mobility) can unlock value-based contracts or sponsored memberships via insurers.
Accessibility and facility requirements:
- Floor plans must support mobility aids (walkers, canes), have minimal thresholds, wide doors, and reachable equipment.
- Instructors should have specialized training in older-adult fitness, fall-prevention, chronic-condition adaptation.
- Lower-impact intervals, emphasis on mobility, strength, balance, flexibility; less intense high intensity interval training (HIIT) unless tailored.
Additional considerations: good lighting, clear signage, non-slip surfaces, handrails, crash mats for assisted training, emergency communication systems.
- Pros: Large and growing demographic with strong motivation for health + independence; often less direct competition; membership yields steady, repeat usage when the program delivers real functional benefit.
- Cons: Higher program/design complexity; instructor credentials and facility accessibility costs can be higher; fitness marketing to older adults may require different channels; retention depends heavily on perceived benefit, safety and comfort.
Dance studios
Dance studios offer structured training in styles like ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, contemporary, ballroom, and cultural dance. Clients range from young children to adults, with engagement built around weekly classes, progression, and performance.
The global dance studios market reached $19.8 billion in 2024, and is projected to grow to $32.1 billion by 2033 as recreational and professional participation continues to rise.
Membership models often blend monthly tuition, class packs, seasonal programs, and specialty workshops.
Essential equipment list:
- Sprung dance floors (critical for injury prevention)
- Mirrors, barres
- Speakers and soundproofing
- Mats for warm-ups or floor work
- Costume storage and changing areas
- Reception/check-in system and waiting area for parents
- Optional: small retail area for shoes, tights, leotards, accessories
Opening a dance studio can range from $50,000 to $200,000 or more depending on size and finish.
Recitals are a core income stream for most studios. Revenue typically comes from:
- Ticket sales
- Costume fees
- Recital packages (photos, videos, merch)
- Parent/family bundles
Competitive studios add another layer:
- Solo/duet/trio coaching fees
- Competition team tuition
- Travel fees and choreography packages
- Hosting in-house competitions or masterclasses with guest instructors
These events often create the highest-margin revenue of the year and significantly increase student retention, especially in youth programs.
- Pros: Strong youth-driven enrollment, high community involvement, and multiple event-driven revenue opportunities.
- Cons: Seasonal churn around school schedules; floor and facility upgrades are expensive; staffing and scheduling can be complex.
✨Real-life Shopify success story: Founded in a former fruit warehouse in London, Pineapple Dance Studios has been a pioneer since 1979, running packed classes, launching fashion lines, and selling direct to consumer through its online store. The brand has hosted icons like Janet Jackson, Hugh Jackman, and Dua Lipa.
After struggling with outages and high development costs on its on-premise site, Pineapple switched to Shopify Plus and saw:
- 207% increase in sales in just two months
- 40% faster load speeds (five seconds to three seconds)
- Dramatically reduced reliance on expensive developers
For dance studios aspiring to run classes, sell merchandise, manage bookings, and handle online demand from a single system, Pineapple proves what’s possible with Shopify.
Boot camp gyms
Boot camp gyms revolve around fast-paced, instructor-led group workouts that mix strength, cardio, and functional training. Classes follow a structured circuit or interval model—think stations, timed rounds, and team energy rather than solo machine work.
The format is flexible, which is why boot camps pop up everywhere: suburban parks, city waterfronts, warehouses, school fields, and lean indoor studios.
The global fitness bootcamp travel market reached $1.84 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $4.1 billion by 2033. Fit Body Boot Camp lists a total investment between $212,000 and $389,000 for a new studio.
Essential equipment list:
- Cones or markers for stations
- Dumbbells and kettlebells
- Battle ropes, slam balls, sandbags
- Mini-hurdles, resistance bands
- Plyo boxes or step platforms
- Mats
- Timer system and portable speaker
Membership models usually blend class packs, unlimited monthly plans, and optional specialty sessions (strength days, challenge weeks, running clubs, etc.). Outdoor-only boot camps often run seasonal passes or time-boxed programs (e.g., six-week challenges).
- Pros: Low equipment cost, high energy community, and flexible indoor/outdoor options.
- Cons: Weather dependency for outdoor formats; success hinges on coach charisma and consistent programming.
Functional training gyms
Functional training gyms focus on movements that translate into real-world strength: lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, rotating, bracing, and moving well under load. Instead of machines that isolate one muscle group, functional training gyms prioritize compound, athletic patterns that build resilience and everyday capability.
The functional fitness equipment market is projected to grow from $20.94 billion in 2024 to more than $407.05 billion by 2032. That surge has made the term functional training gym one of the most searched fitness concepts in 2025–2026.
Functional training gyms tend to attract three groups:
- Adults 25 to 45 who want athletic, practical fitness
- Beginners who prefer guided movement patterns over machines
- Former athletes who miss team-style training and more dynamic workouts
Membership models are usually class-based (small-group training), hybrid open gym and coaching sessions, or unlimited monthly training with scheduled class caps.
Essential equipment list:
- Kettlebells (full range)
- Dumbbells and sandbags
- Sleds and turf lanes
- Suspension trainers (e.g., TRX)
- Medicine balls and slam balls
- Battle ropes
- Landmine attachments and barbells
- Plyo boxes
- Rowers, ski ergs, air bikes
- Bands, mobility tools, flooring
Most functional training gyms can open on a $20,000 to $60,000 budget, with costs rising based on square footage, equipment depth, and how premium you want the setup to feel.
- Pros: Highly coachable demographic, strong community buy-in, and diverse programming keeps classes fresh.
- Cons: Coaching quality makes or breaks retention; equipment costs scale quickly; programming complexity is higher than traditional gyms.
💡Tip: Functional training gyms often sell performance gear, nutrition bundles, recovery tools, mobility kits, and even branded sandbags or kettlebell programs. Studios using Shopify POS can sell in-gym and online from the same inventory system, while using Shopify’s customer profiles to track what members buy and tailor upselling to their training phases.
Gym business models and formats
Beyond training styles, gyms also differ by operational model: how they deliver the experience, structure access, and make money.
24-hour gyms
These gyms run on an always-open model using keycard or fob access, reduced overnight staffing, and automated check-ins. The pitch is pure convenience: come in whenever, train on your schedule, and skip peak-hour crowds.
The model works best for high-volume, equipment-heavy gyms that want to distribute usage across a full day, not just mornings and evenings.
For example, Anytime Fitness runs more than 5,000 24/7 locations across 50 countries, making it one of the largest fitness franchises worldwide.
Hotel and residential gyms
Hotels, apartment buildings, and mixed-use residential complexes now treat fitness centers as core amenities. These gyms typically don’t require memberships (they’re bundled into rents or room rates), and rely on compact, durable equipment rather than full-service staffing.
Corporate and workplace gyms
Companies with onsite or subsidized gyms use fitness as a retention and productivity tool.
Most recently, Nike partnered with Wellhub (formerly Gympass) to give millions of employees access to Nike Studios as an employer-sponsored benefit.
This model is best for gyms targeting B2B wellness contracts, high-consistency usage, and bulk corporate memberships.
Demographic-specific gyms
These gyms tailor everything—equipment, programming, schedule, and branding—to a specific group.
Some examples include women’s gyms, senior fitness gyms, youth performance centers, or neurodivergent-friendly environments.
The women-only gym market alone was valued at $5.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $10.6 billion by 2033.
For example, Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) focuses on improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers through a non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum. While not exclusive to seniors, RSB provides a workout program and supportive community specific to the Parkinson’s experience. What began as one friend supporting another has grown into a thriving non-profit with more than 800 affiliate locations spread among all 50 states and 14 countries.
Boutique fitness studios
Boutique gyms deliver premium, coach-led classes in a narrow niche: Pilates, barre, HIIT, cycling, boxing.
The boutique fitness market is projected to grow to $85.9 billion by 2030.
This model is perfect for high-touch, brand-forward operators who want strong pricing power and community-driven retention.
Community centers and nonprofit gyms
Local YMCAs, community recreation facilities, and nonprofit wellness centers focus on accessibility and affordability. They often combine fitness with programming for youth, seniors, and families.
Revenue is typically a mix of memberships, grants, sponsorships, and municipal funding.
Outdoor gyms and mobile fitness concepts
Outdoor boot camps, mobile gyms, or hybrid models thrive in cities with strong park infrastructure or mild climates.
In 2024, the outdoor recreation participant base grew by another 3%, to a record 181.1 million people, representing 58.6% of all Americans aged 6six and up. Even with softer economic conditions, participation continues to rise, and the outlook remains strong for the years ahead.
This model fits lean operators, seasonal markets, or brands that want to test demand before signing a lease.
How to choose the right gym type for your business
Choosing a gym involves matching audience, space, startup capital, and your expertise to a business model that can survive in your market.
Here’s a simple framework to help you pressure-test your ideas:
1. Start with the audience, not the equipment
Who lives within a 10 to 15 minute radius of your location? What do they actually pay for?
For example:
- Dense urban areas lean toward boutique studios and 24-hour access models.
- Suburban neighborhoods support boot camps, youth programs, and family-friendly gyms.
- Retiree-heavy ZIP codes are ideal for senior fitness gyms and Medicare-partnered offerings.
Use real data here: census demographics, foot-traffic tools, and competitor audits.
💡Tip: If you want to validate demand before you open your doors, use Shopify Pre-orders to sell founding memberships, class packs, or merch ahead of day one; and Shopify Forms to build a waitlist and gauge local interest.
2. Match the space to the model
Your real estate will dictate half your business model.
- Small footprint? Lean toward Pilates, yoga, PT studios, or martial arts.
- Warehouse unit? Works for CrossFit, functional training, or powerlifting.
- High foot-traffic retail? Plays well for boutiques, dance studios, women-only gyms, 24-hour micro-gyms.
- Outdoor access or parks nearby? Perfect for boot camps or hybrid outdoor models.
3. Be honest about startup capital
Some gyms start for $20,000 to $60,000, while others won’t open for less than $300,000 to $1 million.
Don’t choose a format that overextends your runway. Retention and community matter, but cash flow matters more.
💡Tip: If your startup capital doesn’t fully cover the model you’re considering, Shopify Capital offers flexible funding options that many fitness businesses use to bridge early cash-flow gaps or finance equipment purchases.
4. Choose a specialization you can defend
A gym is a long game. You need a model you can run consistently and confidently.
- Are you certified and trained in the modality?
- Do you enjoy coaching or teaching?
- Can you build a community around this style?
- Will this format still feel meaningful to you in three years?
Specialization creates differentiation, but only if you're the one who can deliver it well.
5. Run the economics
Every gym type has a different:
- Break-even membership number
- Class-fill percentage
- Equipment lifespan
- Staffing requirement
- Retention curve
So, if the format requires 225 members to break even but your area can reasonably support 80 to 120, the math won’t work—no matter how pretty the brand is.
💡Tip: Once live, Shopify’s analytics and POS data reporting give you a single view of retail sales, memberships, renewals, and inventory; making it easier to understand what’s actually profitable inside your model.
Types of gyms FAQ
How many types of gyms are there?
There’s no fixed number, but most of the industry buckets gyms into 10 to 15 major formats under two broad groups:
- Modality-based gyms (powerlifting, yoga, Pilates, CrossFit, martial arts, functional training), which tend to revolve around specialized equipment and coached training experiences
- Business-model gyms (24-hour access, corporate/workplace gyms, hotel/residential gyms, boutique studios, nonprofit/community centers, outdoor/mobile gyms), which differ in how they operate and deliver group fitness classes, coaching, or open-gym access
What is the Big 3 gym?
In lifting culture, the “Big 3” refers to the squat, bench press, and deadlift: the three primary lifts powerlifters train and compete in. A Big 3 gym is usually a strength-focused or powerlifting gym built around racks, platforms, and free weights rather than machines or cardio lines.
What is the most common gym type?
Big-box gyms (the traditional commercial gym model) remain the most common in terms of total members and square footage.
How much does it cost to start a gym?
Startup costs range widely depending on the model:
- Micro-studios (yoga, Pilates, personal training): $20,000 to $150,000
- Functional or CrossFit-style gyms: $20,000 to $400,000 or more
- Martial arts studios: $25,000 to $100,000
- Full big-box commercial gyms: $400,000 to $1 million or more
The biggest cost drivers are location, equipment, build-out, insurance, and staffing.
What gym type is most profitable?
Profitability depends on capacity, pricing, and overhead, but the models with the strongest margins today include:
- Boutique fitness studios (HIIT, Pilates, barre), thanks to premium class pricing and lower equipment density
- Personal training gyms, because revenue per client is high
- Functional training/boot camp studios, which balance mid-priced memberships with operational efficiency
- Senior fitness gyms, which benefit from strong retention and partnership revenue (e.g., Medicare Advantage programs)
Big-box gyms generate the most total revenue but face the tightest margins due to high staffing and build-out costs.
