November 2024 Club of the Month, presented by ABC Fitness
Healthworks Fitness, Boston, Massachusetts, est. 1977
Since 1977, Healthworks Fitness has been a pivotal force in Boston’s fitness landscape, devoted to empowering women through wellness, connection and a shared sense of community. For nearly 50 years, Healthworks has championed a holistic approach to strength — one that extends beyond the physical to include emotional, mental and social well-being. At its core, Healthworks is about creating a safe and supportive space where women can connect, grow and celebrate each other’s successes.
“There’s nothing more powerful than women supporting women,” said Mark Harrington Jr., the president and CEO of Healthworks. “Our women-centered clubs are intentional spaces for connection because we know meaningful friendships and a supportive community play a vital role in physical and mental wellness. Whether it’s on the workout floor, in a group fitness class or during teamTRAINING, we’ve worked hard to create an atmosphere where women revel in each other’s successes and celebrate their true selves within the walls of our gyms and beyond.”
Below, Harrington Jr. shares more about how Healthworks is empowering women, its community-driven culture and how technology supports its vision in Boston’s fitness scene.
What is the mission of Healthworks? When was it established? How would you describe the culture at your gyms?
Our vision is empowering women to be strong.
Healthworks and everything we stand for has been woven into the fabric of Boston’s fitness community since 1977. That longevity and success have always been guided by a singular focus: elevating the power of women through wellness and connection to each other and their inner selves. It’s easy to think of power as purely physical but we know it’s so much more than that. Power is emotional, mental and innate too. It can be built during an intense group workout or a session with one of our personal trainers, but it’s also built in the quieter moments of meditative yoga or a therapeutic massage. We create a space where our members can find and cultivate all facets of their power in whatever ways they see fit.
For far too long, many aspects of our society have pitted women against each other in competition instead of collaboration. Not at Healthworks.
In the Healthworks community, no one gets left out of the empowerment, joy and wellness that come from movement. From membership fees to the cost of transportation, we know access to high-quality fitness opportunities, health education and well-being services doesn’t come without barriers. Since its founding in 1998, Healthworks Community Fitness has been our way of breaking them down in Boston’s historically underserved neighborhoods. Our nonprofit is dedicated to moving the needle on health equity by providing high-quality fitness and wellness education to women and children in Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury.
How do you use ABC Fitness and ABC Ignite to engage members?
We use ABC Ignite Engagement to engage with our members constantly. Members are regularly using the app to view our class schedules and reserves paces in classes. We also send push messages to members to keep them informed about what is happening at the club and engage with members through free and paid fitness programming through the coach functionality.
How has ABC Fitness and ABC Ignite helped your business?
Having all of our key software under from a single vendor brings tremendous efficiencies for our team. Our amazing account executive supports us with it all to ensure we’re always maximizing our investment in our technology.
What’s a trend you’re seeing in the fitness industry other operators should keep on their radar in 2025?
A focus on strength and recovery shows no signs of letting up. We continue to update our clubs to make sure people can lift heavy and recover well to see the full value of their membership.
What’s one piece of advice you’d share with other gym operators?
Focus on your team and the health of your organization. Anyone with the resources can hire a great architect, build a beautiful club and buy the same equipment as you, but your team and the health of your culture can set you up for long-term success.
Created in partnership with ABC Fitness. Visit abcfitness.com for more information on how they can help your fitness business.
