How To Open A Gym (and Why Franchising May Be Your Best Move)

For many aspiring fitness-minded entrepreneurs, the idea of opening a gym business is about more than fitness; it’s about building a space where people come together, challenge themselves, and create healthier lifestyles. The vision is inspiring, but the path to making it a reality can be overwhelming. Between finding the right location, designing the space, buying equipment, hiring staff, and getting your first customers through the door, the checklist is long and the learning curve is steep.

That’s why more and more gym owners are turning to franchising as a faster, lower-risk way to get started. Instead of creating everything from scratch, you can step into a proven business model with brand recognition, established systems, and ongoing support. And if you want to stand out in a lucrative and fast growing market, one niche in particular is drawing serious attention; kid’s gyms with a specialty in gymnastics and parkour.

Understanding Your Options When Opening a Gym

When you start researching how to open a gym, one of the first things you’ll notice is that “gym” can mean a lot of different things. From big-box fitness centers to boutique studios to niche activity spaces, each type has its own startup requirements, challenges, and potential rewards. Before you invest a single dollar, it’s important to decide which model fits your goals, your budget, and your target audience.

Traditional Fitness Gyms – These are the large, open-floor-plan facilities with rows of treadmills, weight machines, and free weights. They can attract a broad audience, but they’re also some of the most competitive businesses to run. High equipment costs, constant upkeep, and ongoing marketing battles with established national brands can make it hard for a new owner to stand out.

Boutique Fitness Studios – This model focuses on a specific training style; yoga, spin, personal training, pilates, and more. Boutique gyms have lower equipment costs than big-box gyms, but they rely heavily on creating a loyal member base. Without a strong brand or unique concept, it’s easy to get lost in a crowded market.

Kids Activity Centers & Specialty Gyms – This category includes gymnastics facilities, ninja warrior gyms, parkour spaces, and other activity-based centers designed for children and teens. Unlike traditional fitness gyms, these businesses tap into a less saturated market with strong demand from parents looking for structured, skill-building activities for their kids. They often have the advantage of recurring revenue from ongoing classes, seasonal camps, and special events.

Choosing the right type of gym is more than just picking what you think is fun; it’s about finding the balance between what’s in demand, what you can operate profitably, and what gives you the best chance to build a sustainable business. And for many aspiring owners, the kids-focused model checks all those boxes.

The Traditional Path – Building from Scratch

Opening a gym from scratch can be exciting; you get full creative control, you’re building something that’s entirely your own, and you can shape every decision from the ground up. But with that freedom comes a long list of responsibilities and risks that many first-time owners underestimate.

Business Planning & Licensing – Before you can even think about opening your doors, you’ll need a detailed business plan, local permits, insurance, and in many cases, specialized licensing depending on the activities you offer. This process can take months, and every delay pushes back your opening date.

Location Scouting & Lease Negotiation – Finding the right space is critical. You need a location that’s large enough for your programming, zoned appropriately, and accessible to your target audience. Negotiating a lease as a first-time gym owner can be intimidating; landlords often favor tenants with a proven track record or established brand.

Facility Design & Buildout – From flooring and lighting to equipment layout and safety features, the design phase can quickly eat up budget. Specialized gyms may require even more planning, including safety padding, specialized apparatus, and compliance with industry safety standards.

Equipment Purchase – Fitness equipment is a major upfront investment. Even a modestly equipped gym can require thousands in upfront costs. In a specialty facility, the equipment could also be made custom or imported, making lead times longer and costs higher.

Staff Recruitment & Training – Hiring the right people is one of the biggest challenges. You’ll need staff who have the right skills and experience, and in some cases certifications. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll have to develop all of your own onboarding and training materials.

Marketing & Member Acquisition – A brand-new gym with no reputation in the market has to work twice as hard to gain attention. You’ll be building your marketing from scratch; website, social media, advertising, community outreach; without the advantage of name recognition.

Many independent gym owners spend the first year just figuring out the basics of operations while scrambling to attract members, which can put financial pressure on the business early.

This is where franchising delivers a wide appeal; providing a proven system, the infrastructure, brand credibility, and operational playbook so you can focus on growth instead of building everything from scratch.

Related Article: Why Kids Gyms Are Thriving in 2025

The Franchise Path – Opening a Gym with a Proven Model

If building a gym from scratch feels like climbing a mountain with no map, franchising is like taking the same climb with a clear trail, a guide, and the right gear already in hand. You’re still running your own business, but you’re doing it with the backing of a proven brand, established systems, and a team that’s invested in your success.

A Recognized Brand From Day One – When you open a gym under a franchise, you immediately inherit the reputation, marketing presence, and trust that the brand has built over years of operation. Instead of explaining who you are and why people should join, you’re building on an existing foundation that the public already recognizes.

A Complete Operational Playbook –  Franchises provide tested systems for every part of the business; from member onboarding to staffing procedures to marketing campaigns. This not only shortens your learning curve but also helps you avoid costly mistakes that first-time owners often make.

Support for Site Selection and Buildout – Franchisors often assist with finding the right location, negotiating your lease, and designing your facility to meet brand standards and optimize your layout for safety and flow.

Marketing and Lead Generation Assistance – Instead of creating your marketing from scratch, you’ll benefit from pre-built campaigns, branded assets, and proven advertising strategies.

Training for You and Your Team – Even if you’ve never worked in a gym before, a strong franchise will give you the training you need to operate successfully. This includes not just the technical aspects of running classes or programs, but also customer service, sales, and retention strategies.

A Community of Fellow Owners – You’re not building in isolation. As a franchise owner, you can learn from other operators who have been in your shoes. This network can be a source of advice, motivation, and collaboration opportunities.

For many entrepreneurs, franchising doesn’t just reduce the startup risk; it accelerates the timeline to profitability. And within the franchise world, one niche is standing out for its growth potential and customer demand: kids-focused gyms that blend gymnastics and parkour.

Why Gymnastics & Parkour is a High-Growth Niche

The fitness industry is always evolving, but in recent years, one category has consistently gained momentum: youth-focused activity centers that go beyond traditional sports. Parents are looking for programs that build strength, agility, and confidence; and kids are looking for something exciting enough to pull them away from screens.

Gymnastics: A Timeless Foundation for Physical Development – Gymnastics has long been recognized for building coordination, flexibility, and overall body control. It teaches discipline, focus, and perseverance; qualities parents value as much as the physical benefits.

Parkour: The Modern, High-Energy Draw – Parkour takes those same skills and channels them into a free-flowing, creative form of movement that resonates with today’s youth. Inspired by obstacle courses, urban exploration, and even popular TV ninja warrior style competitions, parkour combines athletic challenge with the thrill of adventure.

The Power of Combining the Two – By blending gymnastics and parkour into one cohesive program, you create a space that appeals to a wider age range and keeps students engaged longer. Younger children can start in structured gymnastics classes, then transition into more advanced parkour training as they grow. This creates a natural progression; and recurring enrollment; for years, popular for boys and girls alike.

Why This Market is Growing

• Parents increasingly prioritize active, skill-based extracurricular activities over passive entertainment.
  
• Social media exposure of gymnastics and parkour has fueled interest among kids and teens.
  
• Unlike seasonal sports, gymnastics and parkour can be offered year-round, providing consistent revenue for owners.
  

This isn’t just about offering classes; it’s about creating community where kids feel challenged, supported, and inspired. And that’s exactly what GForce Gymnastics & Parkour has perfected.

Next, we’ll look at how GForce takes this winning combination and turns it into a turnkey business model for franchise owners.

Case Study GForce Gymnastics & Parkour in Murrieta, CA

In January 2025, GForce Gymnastics & Parkour celebrated a milestone with the opening of the Murrieta, California location. While this marked the first franchise location under the GForce brand, it was the seventh overall location built on the success of San Diego Gymnastics, the brand’s founding company with nearly two decades of proven results. The launch of Murrieta wasn’t just another gym opening, it represented the official evolution of a thriving local business model into a franchise system built for nationwide expansion.

Related Article: Are Gymnastics Franchises Profitable?

A Proven Scalable Model

GForce is built on a successful track record of gyms already serving thousands of families across SanDiego California. The Murrieta launch showed how the business could transition seamlessly into a franchise model, delivering the same community-focused programming under a brand designed for national growth.

Multiple Revenue Streams

What makes the Murrieta location an ideal case study is its breadth of offerings. Instead of relying on a single source of income, the gym generates revenue from a wide mix of programs, including:

• Recreational gymnastics classes that provide recurring monthly tuition.
  
• Parkour and Ninja programs that appeal to older kids and teens looking for high-energy, non-traditional activities.
  
• Seasonal camps that capture revenue during school breaks and holidays.
  
• Birthday parties, Open Gym, Kids Night Out and other special events that bring in new families.
  

This diversified structure stabilizes revenue throughout the year and gives franchise owners multiple ways to grow enrollment and increase profitability.

GForce is proving that its model isn’t just sustainable, it’s scalable. The same franchise owners in Murrieta are already prepping the grand opening of their second location in La Quinta, CA, reinforcing how the system is designed to support multi-unit operators and rapid growth.

Related Article: Top Kid’s Gym Franchise – Why GForce Gymnastics & Parkour Stands Out

The Process of Opening a GForce Gymnastics & Parkour Franchise

Opening a GForce Gymnastics & Parkour location isn’t guesswork; it’s a clearly defined process designed to get you from inquiry to grand opening with the strongest foundation possible. The Murrieta franchise is proof of how this system works in real life, and with the owners launching their second location in La Quinta, California in the same year. It’s clear the model can scale quickly.

1. Initial Inquiry & Discovery – It starts with a conversation. Prospective owners learn about the GForce Gymnastics franchise brand, its history, and how the gymnastics-and-parkour blend creates a unique competitive advantage in the market. 

2. Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Review – Franchisees receive the FDD, which outlines all operational, financial, and legal aspects of joining the GForce system. This ensures complete transparency before you commit.

3. Territory Selection & Site Search – GForce works with franchisees to identify the most promising territories. Once the market is chosen, the team helps secure an ideal location.

4. Facility Design & Buildout – From floor plans to brand-standards, GForce ensures your space is safe, functional, and aligned with the GForce energetic look and feel. The layout is designed to optimize class flow, maximize safety, and create a welcoming atmosphere for parents and kids alike.

5. Comprehensive Training – Franchise owners; and their teams; undergo a training program that covers everything from class curriculum to business operations, marketing, and customer service. You do NOT need a gymnastics or parkour background to succeed. Any owner can be successful with a GForce franchise, as they provide owners with the tools to develop teams and qualified coaches.

6. Pre-Opening Marketing & Launch – Before the doors open, GForce supports building awareness in your community through targeted marketing campaigns, Founders Club memberships, and outreach events to fill your first class rosters.

7. Ongoing Support – Even after launch, GForce provides continued guidance in operations, program updates, staff training, and marketing; helping you keep enrollment strong and your business growing.

For entrepreneurs, this process removes much of the uncertainty that comes with starting a gym from scratch. Instead of spending years building a brand and figuring out what works, you start with a proven system and the support of a team that’s already done it successfully.

Making the Decision

If you’ve been researching how to open a gym, you now know there are two main paths; building your own concept from scratch or stepping into a franchise system. Both lead to ownership, but the experiences along the way can be dramatically different.

Starting independently offers full creative freedom, but it also means taking on every responsibility yourself; developing programs, building a brand, marketing from zero, and troubleshooting problems without a playbook. Even with hard work and dedication, it can take years to build momentum, and many owners find themselves stretched thin trying to handle it all.

Franchising with GForce Gymnastics & Parkour gives you the opposite starting point. You enter the market backed by a proven brand with a clear operational system, established training programs, built-in marketing strategies, and a supportive network of experienced operators. You don’t have to figure out how to attract your first customers; you can focus on building relationships and delivering a great experience from day one.

The Murrieta franchise owners are living proof. Within months of opening their first location, they were already preparing to expand into La Quinta, CA. That kind of growth is possible because the systems are already in place, the programs are already proven, and the brand already has market appeal.

Concluding From “How to Open a Gym” to Opening the Right Gym

If your entrepreneurial journey began with a google search “how to open a gym,” you’ve probably realized there’s a lot more to it than finding a space and buying equipment. The path you choose can determine whether you spend years building momentum or hit the ground running with a proven formula.

Starting from scratch can be rewarding for the right person, but it comes with steep learning curves, higher risk, and longer timelines. Franchising, especially in a high-growth niche like gymnastics and parkour, gives you the brand power, operational systems, and marketing support to start strong and grow faster.

You can keep researching “how to open a gym,” or you can take the next step toward opening your gym; with a team that’s already done it successfully, take your first step toward owning a business that’s built to move, and contact the GForce Gymnastics franchising team here.