The fitness industry is accelerating into 2026 with a wave of strategic acquisitions, bold market expansions and innovative growth models. From major franchise portfolio moves and brand acquisitions to first-of-kind gym conversions and national recognition, operators are signaling confidence in long-term demand and doubling down on disciplined, scalable expansion. Below is a look at the latest developments shaping the week.
CR Fitness Holdings Enters Arizona with Three Crunch Fitness Locations
CR Fitness Holdings, the largest franchise group within Crunch Fitness, is expanding west through its subsidiary Southwest Fitness Holdings LLC, entering the Phoenix metropolitan area with three new clubs. The locations — Crunch Arcadia (36,500 square feet), Crunch Ahwatukee (45,000 square feet) and Crunch Mesa Grand (32,930 square feet) — mark the operator’s first foray into Arizona and reflect its stated intent to build dominant regional density in one of the country’s most competitive fitness markets.
Now serving more than 1 million members across 95 locations in five states, CR Fitness plans to open at least five Arizona locations in 2026. Each club will feature strength and cardio equipment, cycle and hot studios, HIITZone, HydroMassage, infrared saunas, and dedicated glutes and ab studios. The expansion is also expected to generate significant local employment across management, personal training, group fitness and member services.
Extraordinary Brands Acquires Basecamp Fitness
Extraordinary Brands announced the acquisition of Basecamp Fitness, a HIIT franchise built around 35-minute workouts designed for busy consumers seeking efficient, results-driven training. The brand joins a growing portfolio that includes CycleBar, Rumble Boxing, Row House and NEIGHBORHOOD barre, further diversifying Extraordinary Brands’ boutique fitness platform.
Previously owned by Purpose Brands, Basecamp enters the new portfolio with an established coast-to-coast footprint and a lean studio model requiring just eight to 12 employees per location. Extraordinary Brands plans to integrate the brand into its shared services platform, investing immediately in technology, franchise development infrastructure and operational systems. Leadership emphasized that the goal is to enhance — not replace — what made the brand distinctive, with a focus on building the foundation for accelerated unit growth.
Discover Strength Opens First Florida Location in Naples
Discover Strength will open its first Florida studio in Naples in April 2026, marking a key milestone in the brand’s national expansion. The location will deliver the brand’s signature 30-minute, twice-weekly strength training sessions led by exercise physiologists — a science-backed model designed to produce results without requiring hours in the gym.
The Naples studio is owned by Steven Mueller, a former UnitedHealth Group executive and multi-unit Discover Strength franchisee who holds a development territory spanning Naples to Sarasota. Mueller cited the region’s active but underserved population — particularly adults over 55 — as a compelling opportunity. A grand opening ribbon-cutting is planned for May 2026, with additional community events and local partnerships to follow.
Flynn Group Acquires Grand Fitness Partners, Expanding Planet Fitness Portfolio to 141 Clubs
Flynn Group LP, the world’s largest franchise operator, announced the acquisition of Grand Fitness Partners, a Planet Fitness franchisee with 98 locations across California, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The deal expands Flynn’s Planet Fitness portfolio to 141 clubs across seven states and represents the group’s second investment in the Planet Fitness system, following its 2023 acquisition of the Alder Partners franchise.
The acquisition reflects Flynn Group’s conviction that health and wellness represent a natural long-term complement to its core restaurant business. Planet Fitness CEO Colleen Keating welcomed the move, noting that Flynn’s track record as an operator positions the expanded portfolio for strong club performance. Grand Fitness, a Planet Fitness franchisee for more than 15 years, was credited for its sustained commitment to accessible, affordable fitness in the communities it served.
Workout Anytime Launches Gym Conversion Strategy in Mississippi
Workout Anytime is advancing a capital-efficient growth model centered on the acquisition and conversion of existing independent fitness facilities onto the Workout Anytime platform. The initiative is designed to reduce time-to-open, lower upfront development costs and generate more immediate revenue by leveraging existing infrastructure and membership bases.
The strategy is being piloted in Pearl, Mississippi, where multi-unit operator Steven Elliott — who has operated within the brand since 2011 — has acquired an independent facility and is converting it into a full Workout Anytime location. The approximately 22,000-square-foot club will undergo interior upgrades, expanded strength equipment and the addition of recovery amenities. Elliott and his investment partner, who previously helped aggregate more than 200 dental practices into a multi-unit platform, are committing multi-million-dollar capital toward up to eight additional locations across Mississippi.
Planet Fitness Ranked No. 25 on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Fastest-Growing Franchises List
Planet Fitness earned the top gym ranking on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Fastest-Growing Franchises list, coming in at No. 25 overall out of 150 franchises. The recognition is based on net new franchise units added across the U.S. and Canada from July 2024 to July 2025. In 2025, Planet Fitness opened 181 new clubs — including 23 corporate-owned locations — bringing its system-wide total to 2,896 clubs across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and five countries.
Industry Implications
This week’s developments reflect an industry operating with increasing strategic sophistication. Franchise consolidation is accelerating, with Flynn Group and Extraordinary Brands each expanding their portfolios through targeted acquisitions that leverage shared infrastructure and operational scale. CR Fitness and Discover Strength, meanwhile, demonstrate how disciplined market selection — anchored in demographic fit and competitive positioning — continues to drive new unit growth.
Workout Anytime’s conversion model introduces a compelling alternative to ground-up development, one that could reshape how operators think about expansion economics in a maturing market. And Planet Fitness’s Entrepreneur ranking serves as a capstone to the week, affirming that accessibility, value and scale remain enduring drivers of consumer demand as the industry heads deeper into 2026.
