As demand for strength training grows, operators are rethinking equipment, programming and space to keep up with it.
Strength training is one of the clearest drivers of growth in the fitness industry today and it’s forcing clubs to think about what their floor is really for. Whether at a boutique fitness studio or a big-box gym, operators are leaning into one of the biggest demands for members and looking at how that demand changes their strength approach.
But not every club agrees on how to respond. Some operators are letting member feedback and utilization data decide what belongs on the floor. Others take a more prescribed approach, arguing members often don’t know what they need until a qualified professional shows them. And as members progress to heavier loads and more advanced movements, programming adds a layer of demand that neither approach can fully solve on its own.
For operators, the challenge then is building the equipment, programming and space around the way members actually train.
Building the Strength Floor
Layne Nordquist, the senior VP of fitness at VASA Fitness, said they start equipment decisions by looking at what members are asking for and what its usage data shows, before ever looking at trends. The company has expanded its strength offering — particularly in lower-body equipment — as more members have become interested in getting stronger.
Before fully investing in strength equipment, VASA trials pieces to see how members gravitate toward it. For example, Nordquist said the company added ski ergs to a limited number of clubs and watched how members responded. Strong utilization eventually led to wider adoption. Testing can help separate a lasting need from a short-lived trend. It also gives operators a way to make decisions without assuming every new piece of equipment needs a permanent space on the floor.
Luke Carlson, the CEO of Discover Strength, looks at equipment adoption from a science-backed angle. Carlson explained how research shows members, even if they really love strength training, often don’t know very much about it. Therefore, if operators make decisions based on member demand, it’s a decision from an uninformed population.
With this, Discover Strength removes much of that decision making from the member because its format is built around one-on-one and small group programming. The company chooses how members train and makes investments accordingly. Carlson said the brand uses sophisticated strength equipment because they believe the equipment can generate profitable revenue over a very long period.
Alpha Fit Club founder Sam Tooley sits somewhere between those two approaches. His members have significant input because their progression changes what the club needs to provide. Tooley said Alpha Fit has increasingly needed heavier dumbbells as members get stronger. Some locations now offering 75-pound dumbbells while others are pushing to 100-pounds, but it’s also based on what their program is designed for.
“Our classes are prescribed in terms of movements and exercises, so we’re really in control of what our members use and when,” said Tooley. “It’s not left to their discretion outside of the weights they select.”
The control over the exercises shapes how Alpha Fit builds its equipment around its programming, not the other way around. The club uses a four-week progression, with members starting on higher repetitions and longer conditioning periods before the programming gradually moves toward heavier loads. The progression gives members a tangible sense of improvement and the operator a reason to continue investing in equipment as members advance.
“At the end of the day, people are coming because they want results,” said Tooley. “They want to feel stronger.”
That idea is important for operators because adding strength equipment doesn’t automatically create a stronger strength offering. The programming surrounding the equipment can determine whether members understand how to use it and whether they have a reason to keep coming back.
At VASA, programming is a broader ecosystem. Nordquist described the club’s STUDIO offerings as a way for members to move between different training experiences based on what they want to accomplish during the week. Personal training provides another level of individualization. Members can receive custom programming and aren’t left to figure out equipment on their own.
When Space Becomes the Constraint
But even well-built programming doesn’t solve every constraint. As more members chase the same strength goals, clubs are running to a problem of not having enough room to meet the demand.
Nick Vay, the VP of commercial sales at BeaverFit, said many facilities weren’t designed for the current volume of strength training. Peak-hour congestion can leave members waiting for equipment, while adding more indoor space can require a major renovation.
BeaverFit suggests looking outside the building. The company has seen growing interest in permanent outdoor training environments. An underused outdoor area can give a club additional training capacity without requiring an indoor expansion.
“Today’s members expect more flexibility in how and where they train,” said Vay. “Rather than adding more equipment, many are reimagining their layouts to create flexible environments that can accommodate more members and different styles of training. Outdoor training is becoming a permanent extension of the facility and no longer viewed as a temporary solution or seasonal amenity.”
Sometimes, though, looking inside the facility can solve the space issue.
Alpha Fit has partnered with PLAE to develop custom rigs that make better use of its available footprint, with the goal of making the space they already have able to produce more training opportunities.
At VASA, selectorized equipment is intentionally positioned toward the front of the gym while members encounter more complex strength offerings as they move through the facility.
“Layout is extremely important because it’s about thinking and caring about how the member flows through and experiences the gym,” said Nordquist. “One day a member might want to do all hypertrophy training and focusing on aesthetics. The next they may want to work on endurance. So, it’s about being able to easily move through those different training modalities to achieve the goals that our different members have.”
The layout becomes part of the programming experience. A new member can start with something more approachable, while a more experienced member can continue deeper into the facility to find a different level of training.
Widening the Customer Base
The growing footprint of strength training reflects a customer base that keeps expanding, too. Strength isn’t confined to one type of member.
Nordquist said the interest is coming from different groups in the gym such as active adults seeking longevity understanding the benefits of adding strength training and the groups that have been invested in strength for the last decade. Carlson said Discover Strength has seen more demand from members over 70, including people managing physical limitations. Meanwhile, Tooley has seen an increase in demand from its male members who make up about 40% of the brand’s membership base.
The surrounding trends around strength are harder to define though. Nordquist sees recovery as an area with longer-term relevance as members balance demanding workouts with the need to recover. He also sees AI as a tool that needs to be integrated carefully. Rather than replacing trainers, he believes technology can help them deliver better experiences while preserving the human connection members value.
The difference between these trends and strength training itself comes down to purpose. Strength addresses a fundamental outcome members are looking for: getting stronger. The equipment, programming and technology surrounding that have to prove their value in helping deliver that outcome. Therefore, the purchasing decision may start with equipment, but it shouldn’t end there.
Know Your Member
A club needs to know who it’s serving before deciding what belongs on its floor. Member behavior can provide one answer. Research can provide another. Programming can create a need for equipment that members didn’t know they wanted. Space can change the answer again. The challenge is understanding what changes make sense for a particular club and having a reason for making the investment.
Strength training may be driving the evolution of the fitness floor, but the operators getting the most from it will be the ones building the equipment, programming and space around a clear purpose.
