How boutiques can compete with big gyms in 2025
In today’s fitness landscape, boutique fitness studios face the common challenge of how to stand out against the resources, real estate and reach of big-box gyms. But industry leaders have identified the solution: carve out a competitive edge by leveraging innovative training solutions and efficient use of space. Maximize every square foot “Operational capacity has never been more critical,” said Brandon Cullen, co-founder and chief concept officer, MADabolic, noting rising costs of real estate, labor, expertise, goods and materials. “This is why partners like BeaverFit are invaluable. Their entire mission is to deliver customized solutions that address the cost-per-square-foot equation.” Working together, MADabolic and BeaverFit created custom bay units that save each studio 500 to 750 square feet “without compromising the attention to detail or client experience that define MADabolic,” Cullen said. Whereas large gyms boast more space overall, that often translates to underutilized or generic areas that feel impersonal. Boutiques like MADabolic are intentionally designed – with every piece of equipment serving a purpose – leading to more connected and engaging workouts. https://youtu.be/xyf9giBLW5I?si=wa5Jx5dS_Wre6juG Streamline member experience with seamless transitions Matt Wright, chief growth officer and founding partner, Earn Your Stripes, echoed the importance of maximizing operational capacity: “There is no one size fits all when it comes to spacing. Each studio is unique and every square foot should be allocated for something.” He also emphasized the importance of a commonly overlooked component: the transitions that take place during the workout. Member experience can hinge on the smallest details – whether transitioning from station to station or from one modality to another, “it all has an impact on the overall member experience and how well your workout will be perceived,” he said. For EYS, the co-development of a custom bay unit with BeaverFit was key. Heavy bags, which at one point needed to be hung up and taken down to allow for different training segments, now slide in and out of each station with a sliding trawler arm in the center – allowing for expanded training modalities with minimal transition effort. These thoughtfully planned workout stations are in contrast to big-box gyms, where members must navigate busy floors for the equipment they need, and potentially forego sets and exercises because every machine has a line of people waiting to use it. https://youtu.be/OLfjJVyVOpc?si=dWfMjcpw-2jrhE5S Get efficient with storage Operational capacity and seamless transitions come directly into play at SPENGA as well, whose signature workout combines spin, strength training and yoga. Traditionally requiring dedicated areas for each, SPENGA recently launched a smaller footprint design which condensed the experience by 1,000 square feet. Innovative training solutions with integrated storage features allow strength and yoga segments to now take place in the same area without compromising member experience. “Our collaboration with the BeaverFit team enabled us to customize efficient strength storage solutions that enhanced this transformation,” said Roger McGreal, co-founder, SPENGA. “The smaller footprint presents significant cost savings while maintaining the incredible workout experience our members have come to love.” Unlike larger gyms which often struggle with clutter and misplaced equipment, boutiques like SPENGA thrive on creating organized, clutter-free environments that are personalized to the user. https://youtu.be/RlFnqU_KNos?si=FxI7vDcOQV_WRGmC Think outside the box – and the standard catalog For boutique studios facing rising costs and competitive pressure, customization is key. Off-the-shelf solutions may work for some, but for many, the standard catalog won’t cut it anymore. “That’s the big difference for us: we build differently,” said CJ Kostranchuk, director of key accounts, BeaverFit. “No other company is able to sit down with a customer, listen to their needs, and potentially start from scratch to create something. And I think that’s really where this industry is heading – toward being able to do things differently.” From conceptual design to manufacturing, the BeaverFit team collaborates with fitness partners to create tailored solutions that address specific challenges and drive profitability. Whether it’s transforming underutilized spaces or designing equipment to fit precise needs, BeaverFit empowers boutique studios to think differently and thrive in a competitive market. Build your vision. We’ll build the rest. Learn more about the BeaverFit custom manufacturing process. Click Here Share this… FacebookFacebook Save Twitter
STRIDE Fitness redefines workouts under new ownership, BeaverFit partnership
STRIDE Fitness is redefining their workout concept this year as new owner Shaun Grove brings on BeaverFit as a manufacturing partner. As of August, three California locations are the first to incorporate custom functional benches designed and manufactured by BeaverFit into their spaces, combining treadmills and resistance training for a high intensity exercise program. “This will provide for a much better full-body workout with dedicated floor space for strength and conditioning versus just treadmill-based running,” said Grove, who acquired STRIDE Fitness from Xponential Fitness in February. “Moving back and forth between the modalities – the treadmills and the benches – is designed to be a really fun and effective workout.” Grove, former president of Rumble Boxing, is no stranger to working with BeaverFit – who have been the exclusive manufacturer of Rumble benches and rigs since 2021. The Rumble bench served as inspiration for the new STRIDE Fitness bench, which has been tweaked to complement STRIDE with custom branding, integrated storage for dumbbells and slam balls, and attachment points for bands and other training apparatuses. “Just knowing the product that had already been established at Rumble, working with BeaverFit on these benches was a no-brainer,” Grove said. “Everything was very customizable, and everybody was so amenable to getting it done and doing it well.” Grove explained that in the new workout concept, the coach directs members between their treadmill and bench while accompanied by fun and exciting music and lighting. “To this point, STRIDE has been marketed as an indoor running concept with some strength and conditioning; today, we’re redefining it as a full-body HIIT workout combining treadmills and strength and conditioning,” he said. “The concept is strong and universally appealing, so I’m excited to get it out to market. I’d love to see it grow into a multi-unit franchise model across the country, and across the globe.” Images courtesy of STRIDE Fitness Along with the Pasadena, San Diego and Tustin locations, Grove plans to convert more of the current STRIDE Fitness studios to the new model and begin franchising. CJ Kostranchuk, director of key accounts at BeaverFit, who also helped develop the partnership between BeaverFit and Rumble, said he’s excited about the STRIDE Fitness refresh and how it’ll expand their member demographic. “It’s fun to be able to bring concepts to life and see people be successful with them.” “I’m excited to be a partner with BeaverFit,” Grove said. “We established this relationship a few years ago starting with Rumble, and I look forward to extending that into STRIDE and any other concepts going forward.” Custom Manufacturing with BeaverFit Create equipment and environments that meet your specific space, needs and training requirements through hands-on collaboration with our in-house product managers, design engineers and fabricators. Learn More Share this… FacebookFacebook Save Twitter
SPENGA chooses BeaverFit as new provider of innovative strength solution
BeaverFit has partnered with SPENGA to be the new provider of the ‘strength pod’, an equipment storage and racking system used by the rapidly growing fitness franchise. Also known as the BeaverFit Single Post, this functional training solution maximizes exercise and storage capabilities in a compact design. “By partnering with BeaverFit, SPENGA is now able to enhance the member experience by adding functionality and equipment without needing any additional spatial requirements,” said Roger McGreal, co-founder of SPENGA. SPENGA, whose workouts combine spin, strength and yoga, was challenged with finding a new solution for their strength pod after the former manufacturer stopped producing the version used widely across the franchise’s studios. “While interviewing different companies, no one was offering a truly unique product that fit all of our needs. All of that changed when we were introduced to BeaverFit,” McGreal said. https://vimeo.com/897241087 McGreal reached out to a former connection in the fitness industry, Nick Vay – VP of commercial sales at BeaverFit – to see what the team could do. “They had a challenge that required a custom solution,” said Vay. “Other vendors were trying to sell them what they already made off the shelf because they don’t really have the capacity to do what we do – which is, in a pretty quick amount of time, come up with basically a brand new product and produce it at scale.” After back-and-forth conversations about SPENGA’s requirements, the BeaverFit team invited McGreal and others to the BeaverFit headquarters in Reno, Nevada, to show them a prototype. From there, the teams worked together to finetune the product through several iterations to be exactly what SPENGA needed. “BeaverFit carefully listened to all of our needs and designed a completely custom solution for SPENGA,” McGreal said. “The team was extremely professional, timely and offered great insight that led to the creation of a one-of-a-kind product that far exceeded our expectations.” Custom branding and design With SPENGA being a franchise model, branding and customization are top priority, McGreal noted. While working from the original strength pod concept, one of the first things BeaverFit did was incorporate custom colors and branding to bring the SPENGA brand aesthetic to life. BeaverFit also added a battle rope ring, a center anchor point for bands and ancillary work, an angled footplate for improved suspension training, and side hooks to pull accessories out of the way when not in use. “These things sound simple, but they create better functionality and storage which makes a big difference in a small space,” Vay said. “Many times, facilities are stuck using a product that does not fulfill all of their needs and this negatively impacts the user experience,” McGreal added. “Being able to design a product custom to a facility’s needs offers competitive advantage.” The first BeaverFit Single Post units for SPENGA were installed at studios in Naples and Fort Myers, Florida, in August 2023. BeaverFit will continue to produce the units at scale to support the growing franchise and offer the solution to other brands needing similar functionality. The Single Post joins the new BeaverFit Functional Training line, solutions designed specifically to fit any training space while providing multiple training modalities. With customizable branding, colors, storage and functionality, this line enables maximum storage and exercise capability. “BeaverFit is extremely innovative in their approach, which allows facilities to deliver a superior and truly unique experience,” McGreal said. Looking to enhance the offerings of your brand, studio or franchise? Start building your vision, and let BeaverFit build the rest. Share this… FacebookFacebook Save Twitter
BeaverFit chosen as exclusive manufacturer of Rumble bench and boxing rigs
RENO, Nev. – April, 12, 2022 – BeaverFit USA, a veteran owned and operated business, the leading manufacturer of outdoor fitness equipment, and the largest supplier of military human performance solutions in the world, has been contracted by Rumble, the popular boxing-inspired group workout concept owned by Xponential Fitness, to manufacture custom designed benches and boxing rigs for new Rumble franchise locations. The newly designed Rumble bench and boxing rigs, which are already in use at recently opened Rumble studios in Anchorage, Alaska and Henderson, Nev., were designed, prototyped, and manufactured in a matter of months following close collaboration between BeaverFit product design, engineering, and fabrication specialists working with Rumble leadership. “As we scale the Rumble brand to new locations it was critically important for us to have the right equipment,” said Shaun Grove, president, Rumble. “Not only did we want to capture the look and feel of the Rumble brand in this equipment, but we wanted to make sure that for our franchise partners making an investment that this equipment will last for years to come, and to ensure our members have the highest quality and safest equipment every time they step into a Rumble studio.” The new bench was created for the strength portion of Rumble’s 45-minute classes, providing a cushioned bench top, storage slots integrated into the middle for five pairs of dumbbells, and hooks on the end to hold Rumble’s weighted knuckles. A hollow opening also provides an area for participants to store their boxing gloves between Rumble rounds. Beaverfit worked with Rumble to create four different custom rigs in order to provide Rumble and its franchisees increased flexibility from a space and functionality perspective to make the leasing and facility design as streamlined as possible. “Designing the Rumble bench and boxing rigs was really a total team effort from start to finish,” said Justin Smith, COO, BeaverFit, North America. “Our design and engineering teams worked closely with the Rumble team to ensure the design met their functional requirements as well as brand aesthetic, while our in-house manufacturing and 100% domestic supply chain allowed us to quickly prototype, make updates, and ultimately begin producing hundreds of units for new Rumble locations. This opportunity is one of many we’re excited to support as we continue to see the aggressive growth in our commercial business from both a custom manufacturing and outdoor fitness perspective.” “This has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had around product procurement in terms of how smooth and how fast it went,” said Pete Rigs, EVP of construction and procurement, Xponential Fitness. “We went from discussing an idea over lunch, to having a napkin sketch, a computer rendering, and a finished product in less than three months. During a time when so many equipment manufacturers are struggling with their supply chain, the BeaverFit team and their domestic manufacturing capabilities really allowed us to deliver the equipment needed to help our newest franchisees open their locations on time.” To learn more about BeaverFit commercial equipment and custom manufacturing capabilities, visit beaverfitusa.com. For a list of current and upcoming Rumble locations, visit rumbleboxinggym.com. About BeaverFit BeaverFit is the leading global manufacturer of outdoor fitness equipment and training solutions. Creator of the world’s first fully functional containerized gym solution in 2012, BeaverFit is the leading supplier of human performance equipment to the U.S. military. Today, BeaverFit continues to innovate and expand mobile and outdoor fitness equipment and facilities for corporations, commercial gyms, campus recreation programs, and home consumers. For more information, visit www.beaverfitusa.com. About Rumble Founded in New York City in 2017, Rumble is a group fitness concept delivering a mix (or combination) of boxing-inspired circuits and the transformative power of resistance training. Pro and amateur fighters glove up together, no matter their fitness level or skill, to reveal their inner fighter. The experience is a 45-minute, 10-round, full-body cardio and strength workout crafted around specially designed water-filled, teardrop-style boxing bags. Rumble was founded by Noah Neiman (former Barry’s Bootcamp Master Trainer, and cast member of Bravo’s Work Out New York), Eugene Remm (Co-Founder of Catch Hospitality Group (Catch Restaurants, CATCH STEAK, Lexington Brass), Andy Stenzler (Co-Founder Cosí, Kidville), and Anthony DiMarco (13-time IRONMAN, former Managing Director, Google). For more information, visit rumbleboxinggym.com. Share this… FacebookFacebook Save Twitter