How does an F45 Training Studio operate after opening?
An F45 Training franchise sells memberships, trials, class packages, approved group workouts and permitted add-ons through an online booking-and-payment system. The franchisee supplies the site, management, trainers and local execution; F45 Training Incorporated controls the workout system, approved offerings, technology access, suppliers, marketing standards, data access and compliance reviews.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 8, 11, 12 and 19, pp. 1-10; official F45 member FAQs.
What does the Studio sell, and who buys it?
The core transaction is a consumer purchasing access to approved F45 group training through a trial, membership or class package tied to a home Studio. The FDD also permits Branded Products, LionHeart monitors, F45 Meals and optional Recovery Amenities, but only when F45 Training Incorporated approves or requires the offering and its supply path.
Core Studio service
Members attend programmed cardio, resistance, hybrid and approved recovery sessions. The FDD defines the Franchise Business around the F45 System and Approved Services; the official workout library shows the current consumer-facing class families.
Permitted add-ons
Studios may sell approved apparel, equipment, nutritional items and LionHeart monitors. Participating Studios may add cold plunges, infrared saunas, massage devices, chairs and compression therapy under Recovery by F45.
Customer channels
Consumers locate a Studio, buy an offer and book through the website, account or F45 Training app. Membership pricing and timetables can vary by Studio, while the franchisor retains contractual authority to impose pricing limits and operating-hour standards.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 1, pp. 1-3; Item 11, pp. 7-9; Item 16, pp. 1-2; official F45 system overview and Studio locator.
How does work move through an F45 Studio?
The operating cycle begins with brand-funded and local demand generation, moves through online purchase and booking, then depends on the Studio Manager, Head Trainer and certified trainers to prepare and deliver the approved workout. The same point-of-sale record then feeds payment, reporting, data access and compliance review.
Generate demand
- Actor
- F45 Training Incorporated, approved agencies and the franchisee.
- Action
- Run brand, local and approved social campaigns that direct consumers to a specific Studio.
- System/asset
- Brand Fund, Marketing Fee, approved creative, Social Media Accounts and Studio locator.
- Output
- A consumer reaches the Studio's online offer or timetable.
Sell and book online
- Actor
- Consumer, Studio staff and required point-of-sale provider.
- Action
- Purchase a trial, membership or class package and reserve a class or waitlist position.
- System/asset
- Mindbody, F45 Training website, member account and F45 Training app.
- Output
- Paid or authorized customer record, class reservation and Studio schedule entry.
Prepare the class
- Actor
- Studio Manager, Head Trainer and certified trainers.
- Action
- Set up approved stations, verify equipment, receive members and manage the class timetable.
- System/asset
- Equipment Pack, F45TV, sound system, required technology, AED and Studio premises.
- Output
- A staffed, compliant Studio ready to deliver the programmed session.
Deliver the workout
- Actor
- Certified trainers under the Studio's management structure.
- Action
- Coach the approved F45 exercise plan, apply brand standards and manage member service.
- System/asset
- F45TV programming, exercise equipment and optional LionHeart heart-rate tracking.
- Output
- Completed class, attendance record and optional performance report.
Fulfill add-ons and retention
- Actor
- Studio staff, approved suppliers and participating service providers.
- Action
- Sell approved merchandise, LionHeart, F45 Meals or Recovery Amenities and support rebooking.
- System/asset
- Approved inventory, recovery equipment and the F45 Training app.
- Output
- Completed add-on sale or service and the next member interaction.
Record, report and audit
- Actor
- Franchisee, Studio management, accounting provider and franchisor.
- Action
- Record Gross Sales, submit monthly and annual financial reports, retain records and permit review.
- System/asset
- Mindbody, accounting records, EFT, franchisor platforms and remote data access.
- Output
- Royalty and marketing calculations, operating reports and compliance evidence.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 6, pp. 1-7; Item 11, pp. 3-10; Franchise Agreement Section 11, pp. 30-31. Mindbody is the FDD-named point-of-sale provider; see Mindbody's official F45 platform announcement.
Can the franchise be manager-run?
A manager-run structure is permitted only with F45 Training Incorporated's written consent. The Key Person remains the accountable owner-level operator, normally must hold at least 10% of the franchisee entity and must work full time unless an approved General Manager is appointed. The franchisee still must retain a Studio Manager, a Head Trainer and the required certified trainers.
The 2026 FDD does not support describing the model as absentee. Without an approved General Manager, the Key Person must devote full time and best efforts to supervision. With a General Manager, the Key Person remains ultimately responsible for Studio performance and Franchise Agreement compliance.
Employment decisions remain with the franchisee: hiring, firing, pay, benefits, work hours, work rules, scheduling, supervision, records and discipline. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 15, pp. 1-2; Item 11, pp. 9-10.
Which systems and suppliers are mandatory?
The operating system is supplier-restricted and technology-dependent. F45 Training Incorporated is the only approved supplier for the proprietary Equipment Pack and can designate itself, an affiliate or a third party as the exclusive source for other items. The franchisee must install required technology, use approved software and give the franchisor electronic and surveillance access.
Mindbody point of sale, online booking, website and F45 Training app create the member record, collect sales and manage class reservations.
F45TV components, televisions, sound system, exercise equipment, MacBook Air, iPad, router, surveillance, AED, body scanner and optional LionHeart support service delivery.
Intranet, email and website administration, proprietary platforms, remote point-of-sale data access, remote surveillance access, required licenses and future upgrades support reporting and enforcement.
The FDD estimates required sources account for 80% of ongoing purchases and leases. Current recurring requirements include at least $1,500 of designated merchandise every three months and at least 100 LionHeart monitors annually beginning after the first 12 months. No purchasing or distribution cooperative currently operates.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Item 8, pp. 1-4; Item 6, pp. 3-7; Item 11, pp. 8-9. F45 Training Incorporated may change approved suppliers, specifications, required systems and the composition of the Equipment Pack under the Franchise Agreement.
What does the franchisor control, and what remains with the franchisee?
The franchisee controls the local employer function and performs daily execution, but the franchisor defines the customer promise and the permitted operating envelope. Third parties supply essential technology, installation, advertising and inventory under F45 Training Incorporated's approval or designation.
Franchisee decisions
- Hire, fire, compensate, schedule and supervise Studio employees.
- Allocate trainers and managers within required roles, certifications and operating hours.
- Set membership prices unless the franchisor applies contractual maximum, minimum or other limits.
- Appoint a General Manager only with written consent.
- Add optional Recovery Amenities and propose unapproved suppliers, subject to approval.
Franchisor controls
- Approved Services, required products, prohibited activities and workout standards.
- Manuals, operating hours, marketing creative, Social Media Accounts and loyalty programs.
- Equipment Pack, supplier approvals, technology specifications and replacement requirements.
- Electronic sales data, surveillance access, evaluations, record audits and remedial programs.
- Site acceptance, Protected Area definition and internet or cross-area solicitation limits.
Third-party dependencies
- Mindbody processes point-of-sale and scheduling under the required technology structure.
- Approved installers assemble equipment and install technology, audiovisual and sound systems.
- Approved agencies and vendors may execute local advertising funded by the Marketing Fee.
- Designated suppliers provide merchandise, meals, recovery equipment, insurance and music rights.
- Accounting providers prepare required reports, while the franchisee remains responsible for accuracy.
Sources: 2026 FDD, Items 8, 11, 12, 15 and 16; Franchise Agreement Sections 5-8 and 11.
Does the Protected Area give the franchisee exclusive customers?
No. A compliant franchisee receives protection against another standard F45 Studio being established in the Protected Area, but the territory is expressly non-exclusive. The protection does not assign all local customers, internet activity, Reserved Areas or competing FIT House of Brands concepts to the franchisee.
What is protected
The franchisee first selects a Location inside a Designated Area. After the site is acquired, F45 Training Incorporated defines the Protected Area, generally around a population of at least 15,000. While the franchisee remains compliant, the franchisor and its affiliates will not authorize another standard F45 Studio there.
What is reserved
The Studio must operate and sell at the approved Location and may not actively solicit consumers outside the Protected Area through the Internet, telemarketing or other direct channels. Office campuses, military locations, airports and lodging facilities are Reserved Areas, and the franchisor may sell through other channels inside the area.
F45 Training Incorporated also reserves the right to operate or license other brands, including FS8 and Vaura, without giving the F45 franchisee customer exclusivity. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 12, pp. 1-2; Franchise Agreement Section 1.
What does Item 20 show about the U.S. Studio base?
The reconciled state-by-state Item 20 table shows fewer franchised U.S. Studios at each year-end from 2023 through 2025. This is a system-footprint measure, not an earnings measure, and it should be evaluated alongside openings, terminations, non-renewals, transfers and the later Item 19 reporting date.
Interpretation: the reconciled franchised Studio count declined by 83, or 10.5%, from year-end 2023 to year-end 2025.
Source: 2026 FDD, Item 20, Table 3, p. 9. Item 20, Table 1 lists 707 franchised outlets for 2025, while the state-by-state Table 3 total is 706; this chart uses the internally reconciled Table 3 total. Item 19's 698 franchised Studios is dated February 28, 2026 and is not inserted into the December 31 series.
Which operating questions remain for document review and validation?
The FDD defines the control structure but leaves several live operating details in the Manuals, approved-supplier lists and Studio-specific schedules. A buyer should obtain the current versions and reconcile them to the proposed Location, staffing plan and local membership laws before treating the operating model as fixed. Those documents can change daily sequencing, local responsibilities, available service options, reporting deadlines and the practical workload assigned to each role.
- Current list of Approved Services, prohibited activities, required class schedule and Studio operating hours.
- Current Mindbody configuration, F45 technology agreements, support coverage, upgrade obligations and data-export rights.
- Equipment Pack Schedule 1, current approved suppliers, installation requirements and recurring inventory minimums.
- Key Person approval, General Manager consent, Head Trainer qualifications and trainer-certification maintenance.
- Exact Protected Area map, Reserved Areas, nearby F45 Studios, nontraditional licenses and internet-solicitation rules.
- State membership-contract, cancellation, staffing, CPR, AED, bonding and tax requirements for the proposed Studio.
- Explanation of the one-outlet 2025 discrepancy between Item 20 Tables 1 and 3.
- Whether optional Recovery Amenities, F45 Meals, loyalty programs or pricing controls will apply to the specific Studio.
What is the central operating reality?
F45 Training converts local consumer demand into recurring Studio access, class bookings and approved add-on sales. The franchisee's primary responsibility is to staff and manage a compliant, service-ready Studio; the strongest dependency is F45 Training Incorporated's control over programming, technology, suppliers, marketing and data. The decisive distinction is a non-exclusive Protected Area with reserved channels. The largest remaining question is the current Manuals-based operating schedule and supplier stack for the specific Location.