To fuel its comeback, Stride Fitness is removing half of its treadmills, instead leaning further into strength training while adding recovery spaces and becoming a Hyrox affiliate, CEO Shaun Grove reveals
Stride Fitness is mounting a comeback, leveraging the biggest trends in fitness and wellness to draw members into its studios.
The boutique cardio and strength franchise is opening a flagship location in Huntington Beach, California, which will also double as the brand’s headquarters.
The new space will also serve as a training and discovery space for new franchise partners and a “test kitchen” to experiment with new strategies, according to Stride CEO Shaun Grove, who previously served as president of Rumble Boxing and Club Pilates.
“There’s an opportunity here for Stride Fitness to do really well,” Grove told Athletech News.
Alongside Grove, the Huntington Beach opening is spearheaded by Stride president and chief operating officer Anthony Badalian, who also served as president of Rumble and former vice president of Club Pilates.
Stride’s signature 55-minute workouts feature interval workouts, combining treadmill-based cardio and strength training.
But Grove revealed to ATN that the formerly Xponential Fitness-owned brand is now making the strength aspect the primary focus, as fitness enthusiasts look to centralize the increasingly popular modality into their routines.
“In redeveloping the concept and redesigning it, we actually removed half of the treadmills and the pre-existing model, and incorporated these custom-made weight benches,” Grove said, adding that the new concept contains “everything that you really need to have a good, solid strength program.”
credit: Stride Fitness
He also revealed the brand recently became a Hyrox affiliate, positioning the brand at the center of growing interest in fitness racing.
Stride Fitness is also tapping into growing demand for dedicated recovery spaces. A new area of the studio will serve as a value-add, where members can book sessions to access self-guided stretching, antigravity chairs and Hyperice air-compression massage therapy. Grove said the brand is exploring adding red light therapy and lymphatic drainage offerings as well.
“It’s a perfect blend of all three of those modalities into a great little boutique concept,” he said.
credit: Stride Fitness
Expansion Plans Are Underway Nationwide
The brand’s shift and flagship launch arrive as Stride eyes nationwide expansion, targeting markets in Florida, Texas, Colorado and New Jersey, Grove said. By the end of this year, he hopes to sell 50 new territory licenses and open 10 to 15 new studios. Stride currently has six open locations listed on its website.
But Grove said it’s not as much about location as it is the partners themselves.
“The idea is to really grow the right way with the right partners,” he explained.
That has led to new partnerships in Philadelphia, Nashville and Albuquerque.
“We’re definitely not tied to just specific markets, but where can we find the best quality franchise partners that will help drive the brand,” Grove said.
