The Aussie fitness ‘secret’ – Sponsored Stories News – NZ Herald

Australian fitness brand expanding into New Zealand brings a new approach to fitness.

There’s a new fitness option in town: bringing back the “sense of community” that has helped them take Australia by storm.

Fitstop says its brand is “taking off” in New Zealand, where it has opened three new locations – in Hamilton, New Plymouth and Christchurch – and will open several more in the next 12 months.

Fitstop was started in Queensland in 2013 by former motocross rider Peter Hull who was impressed by a personalized exercise program that helped him recover from injuries. He opened his own gym, initially in his parents’ garage, and in 2017 he franchised the brand.

The company has increased memberships by 70 percent and expects revenue to reach $37 million in the next fiscal year. It plans to open 10 new locations in the US by mid-2023, in addition to adding to its existing network of more than 90 gyms in Australia and New Zealand.

Celebrations are planned for the next day it opens its 100th location later this year and records the 20,000th active “Fitstopper.”

Fitstop sessions are 50-minute workouts, combining athletic and functional training principles in small groups to maximize performance. His sessions, aptly named “Lift,” “Perform,” “Condition,” and “Sweat,” take an integrated approach to physical activity, which is appealing to people, often those who have played sports in the past, who know that being active makes them feel better.

The business has been expanded largely using an ownership model which has led to a 60 per cent growth in the number of franchises in Australia and New Zealand. Hull, a recent Brisbane Young Entrepreneur Awards finalist, says: “We have a unique combination of first and foremost custom technology built for owner-operators to drive business performance and manage memberships. This has attracted passionate business owners .

“Franchise owners are passionate about fitness, moving more, living life and performing at their best. It’s the force behind building a dedicated community and seeing progress.”

Another reason for Fitstop’s early success: They know a thing or two about surviving tough times. In an industry where many companies barely survived the pandemic, Fitstop positively thrived.

“What Fitstop did that worked so well is foster a sense of community, and that’s the focus of what we’re doing with locations opening here,” says the company’s newly appointed New Zealand general manager, Brendan Hurrell. , who currently oversees the establishment of the franchises here, including the latest in New Plymouth.

An example of his clever thinking came during lockdowns in Australia; a newly developed app included a home exercise regimen that allowed Fitstop members to stay on track with their goals, even when they couldn’t get to the gym. While other gyms were losing large numbers of members, Fitstop kept 80 percent of their members.

The app remains a key part of the business, allowing members to receive support and book sessions, track their goals and achievements, and access information such as good nutrition through a huge library of nutritious recipes.

It’s part of the Fitstop experience: “We want to give people a feeling of belonging to a community, where they achieve real long-term wellness and wellness results, and gain a sense of accomplishment,” says Hurrell.

“It’s not just about going into a six-week program that will help you lose a little weight, it’s about combining the fundamentals of strength, metabolic conditioning, and resistance training to produce results, and then working to progress. It’s all done in an environment where they feel encouraged and supported.”

Hurrell knows why it’s crucial to be fit and healthy. At 19 he was struggling with his mental health: “I was overweight and when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t like what I saw.”

He developed a passion for exercise that completely changed his life: “The high-performance training I received, along with the support of some great mentors, made a huge difference to me,” says Hurrell, whose weight dropped from 300 pounds to 250 pounds. kg. Now 33, he began to think about what he wanted to do next, and Fitstop seemed like the perfect career progression.

“A lot of us Kiwis played sports when we were younger. Then life gets in the way and all of a sudden you’re working long hours and having kids, putting your own health and well-being on the back burner.” Hurrell says. “We want to empower our members to find their passion for fitness again.”

Fitstop’s approach often reminds members of what it’s like to be part of the sports side, training together to achieve a goal, and fosters a sense of camaraderie, says Hurrell.

“We want our locations to be the kind of place you can’t wait to go to train, not only because you’re seeing great results, but because you enjoy being there.”

Within a year, there will be at least 10 Fitstops across the country.

For more information go to: fitstop.com