When the Covid 19 pandemic forced people to stay home, fitness facilities were some of the hardest hit businesses in Canada and across the world, and the epidemics of cardiovascular disease and mental illness related to inactivity soared.
As a passionate fitness and wellness advocate with 25-plus years in the industry, I have witnessed the positive physical and mental health benefits of movement and it’s encouraging to see the pivotal shift that is happening across Canada and globe as people ages 20-40 become more eager to develop a healthy lifestyle and are more wellness-focused than the generations before them.
According to Future Market Insights reports, the health and fitness club market is expected to reach $302 billion (USD) in revenues by 2034, a 124% increase from 2024, and one key trend leading industry is the growing demand for boutique fitness studios that provide a superior customer experience. With the recent openings of premium studios across the country to a waitlist of members, some boutique fitness centers are excelling in offering individuals meticulously curated and personalized services, the latest in technology-tracked results, and an authentic environment focused on community and a holistic healthy lifestyle.
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At Orangetheory Fitness, the customer experience has always been at the forefront of what we do. Our experienced, dual-certified trainers and coaches play a crucial role in providing a hyper-personalized experience through a group-led workout that safely pushes our members to achieve levels of fitness performance that they never thought were possible for themselves. The same trainers and coaches offer advice and education centered around proper form and intensity and how to improve performance in both our templated workouts and via key benchmarks. People are looking for expert guidance. It’s no longer just about how many or how hard, it’s helping people understand the whys behind the squats and the three-minute pushes.
In an era where customization is key, leading brands in the boutique sector are also meeting members where they are, opening in convenient, easily accessible locations and with flexible operating hours designed for everyone’s busy schedules.
For Orangetheory’s 100+ studios across Canada, this flexibility means that members can book classes at any studio in Canada or through our at-home OTLive platform at their convenience. Facilitating class booking and sharing workout results through our proprietary app, we are able to empower members to create a fitness routine that ultimately builds adherence and habit.
Technology is also playing a huge role in driving consumer behavior when it comes to health and wellness. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2024 Future of Wellness survey, consumers want effective, data-driven, science-backed health and wellness solutions as people prioritize their health more than ever. Ellen Latham, Orangetheory’s founder, often relates what she believes is the power behind technology-tracked results with her quote, “What you do not measure, you cannot achieve.”
Data-driven training is at the heart of motivating a newer, more tech-savvy fitness consumer. Orangetheory, along with a handful of other boutique studios concepts, is at the forefront of offering a seamless tech-driven experience that allows individuals to optimize their time spent in the workout based on their specific fitness levels and goals. People are naturally motivated by results and by offering performance tracking, benchmarks, and progress in real-time, the advancements in technology at boutique fitness centers are enhancing member experience and fundamentally transforming how individuals approach fitness and wellness.
Lastly, while it’s true that the younger Gen Z and millennial generations spend more time on their phone and working from home than their elders, these younger generations still seek in-person social interactions and experiences. For prior generations, bars and nightclubs checked this box, but a new more health-conscious consumer is seeking venues to meet which are more aligned with their lifestyle choices. Joining a boutique fitness concept that breeds community, creates smiles, and provides a venue for a shared experience is why we’re seeing more younger people being drawn to the supportive environment of group workouts. Group dynamics, high energy, and social connections experienced before, during, and post-class as well as in-studio and post-workout events and gatherings, contribute significantly to the mental and emotional well-being of our participants.
With the rise of people focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reaping the mental health benefits that come with these experiences, I hope we continue to see the growth of all types of boutique fitness and wellness studios. These hubs of activity are critical in promoting an overall holistic lifestyle and we need to continue moving to stay healthy and make a difference, for ourselves, and for each other.
Blake MacDonald is the President of Orangetheory Fitness Canada and its corporate studio business with 17 studios in the Edmonton, Saskatoon and Toronto markets. He is also the Vice President of Business Development at Franvest Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in companies with a focus on fitness and franchising.
