AmenZone Fitness, a functional training fitness franchise, announced that it will open 10 franchise locations in the greater Los Angeles area within the next six months.
Founded five years ago by Amen Iseghohi, the franchise got its start via three corporate locations in North Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and Old Town Scottsdale, Ariz. The company began franchising the concept last fall.
Known for its “back to basic” workouts, AmenZone Fitness is characterized by a bare-minimum fitness approach. Instead of traditional strength and cardio equipment, AmenZone members train by flipping tires, slamming sledgehammers and using their own bodyweight.
“It’s a very simple concept, which is part of the attraction,” said Iseghohi. “There’s very low overhead, because it’s ‘back-to-basics’ fitness.”
Iseghohi became a fan of this approach towards fitness, after living in Africa with his grandmother at the age of 8. With no amenities such as gyms at his disposal in which to train, Iseghohi’s grandmother had him train functionally. Tires became his equipment of choice.
Iseghohi believes his signature franchise will do well in Los Angeles, nationally and internationally. “We predict LA will be or biggest market,” he said.
According to Iseghohi, the franchise has grown much faster than expected. “Our projection was to sell five [franchises] in a year, and in seven months we sold 20,” he said. “We’ve exceeded or expectations by quite a bit, and we’re still growing.”
The ideal AmenZone Fitness franchise, said Iseghohi, is someone who wishes to make a healthy impact on his or her local community. “The ideal AmenZone Fitness franchisee is someone who cares about [his or her] community, and who cares about making a difference,” he said. “We look for someone who’s passionate about being healthy as a lifestyle, not just cosmetically.”
By Rachel Zabonick
