Boutique group fitness is about to explode, says Heartcore co-founder
The co-founder of London-based group fitness studio chain Heartcore Fitness has revealed ambitious expansion plans as the business bids to cash in on a sector that is “about to explode.”
Speaking exclusively to Health Club Management co-founder Brian Schuring said the chain hopes to have nine London locations in place by the end of the year – there are currently five – but is also looking further afield.
“We’ve been working really hard in recent years to refine the business and our product to warrant scaling it up, and now there's a cluster of growth scheduled in London after 18 months of scouring the market for suitable properties,” said Schuring.
“15 London sites would probably be the saturation point for our business in London. But we’re close to securing an exciting partnership that would enable us to expand across the UK and possibly into major financial centres worldwide.”
The business was founded in 2007 by Brian and Jess Schuring – once married, now good friends and business partners. Brian’s background in private equity and hedge fund investment is combined with Jess’s fitness expertise honed from her time working as a Beverly Hills personal trainer, with clients reportedly including Hollywood stars such as Elle Macpherson and Robert Downey, Jr. By the time the pair chose London, Jess already had a clear idea of the Heartcore concept: concisely-honed classes that offer fast results.
Currently offering classes to suit all fitness goals in Dynamic Pilates, TRX, Barre, Cyclecore and Kettlecore, Heartcore is aimed at time-poor city professionals who want to ensure they get maximum benefit from their workouts. Studios range from the inaugural 900sq ft (83sq m) Kensington site, up to around the 3,500sq ft (325sq m) mark, though recent openings have been nearer the top-end of that scale.
All classes are developed in-house and Brian Schuring believes the company’s focus on refinement – each class discipline has a dedicated head trainer who constantly reviews structure and content – is what gives Heartcore the edge.
“Obviously there are more businesses moving into the market and the bigger gym chains have started to show an interest, but there’s a reason people are willing to pay £20 for a specialised fitness class rather than just take a free one at their gym,” he added.
“Not many gym chains are famous for their classes and top quality group fitness requires a different mindset, so I think it might take them a while to get to grips with the subtleties. We feel we’re well positioned to move forward in this market. People say high intensity group exercise is a fad that will be gone in two years, but I think we’re only 10-20 per cent of the way towards the maturation of this market. We think this market is about to explode.”
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