Gym Management Blog

The Business of Fitness Blog

Learn about the business of fitness in the PushPress Gym Management blog. Trends, best practices, case studies, tips and more!

Category: Starting & Growing a Gym

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How to Negotiate a Gym Lease: The Clauses That Quietly Cost You $50,000
Starting & Growing a Gym

How to Negotiate a Gym Lease: The Clauses That Quietly Cost You $50,000

A gym owner's guide to negotiating a commercial lease: TI allowance, free rent, personal guaranty caps, CAM, and the clauses that quietly cost you six figures over the term.

July 23, 2026
 min
How to Start a Gym: The Complete Step-by-Step Playbook
Starting & Growing a Gym

How to Start a Gym: The Complete Step-by-Step Playbook

The complete playbook for opening a gym — from validating the idea and budgeting startup costs to pricing, pre-sales, and launch. Built from 10+ years helping micro-gym owners.

June 3, 2026
 min
Why Coach Buy-In Is the #1 Predictor of a Successful HYROX Program
Starting & Growing a Gym

Why Coach Buy-In Is the #1 Predictor of a Successful HYROX Program

Two gym owners who built HYROX programs from scratch agree: without coach buy-in, your program will plateau or collapse. Here's how they got their teams on board.

April 17, 2026
7
 min
How to Create a Gym Business Plan in 6 Steps
Starting & Growing a Gym

How to Create a Gym Business Plan in 6 Steps

Build a gym business plan that drives growth. Follow these 6 steps covering vision, market research, services, marketing, operations, and ongoing review.

April 3, 2026
7
 min
Capture More Revenue at Your Gym... Without Slowing Down
Starting & Growing a Gym

Capture More Revenue at Your Gym... Without Slowing Down

Stop losing gym revenue to “I’ll pay later.” With tap to pay and the Stripe card reader built into PushPress gym management software, your staff can take fast, secure payments anywhere.

November 25, 2025
6
 min
Introducing the New and Improved Grow
Starting & Growing a Gym

Introducing the New and Improved Grow

We've just released our biggest update to Grow — ever. The major enhancements are designed to make running your gym smoother, smarter, and simpler than ever before.

April 3, 2025
5
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 10: Avoid Trying to Please Everyone
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 10: Avoid Trying to Please Everyone

For effective business operations and long-term gym growth, it's important (but tough) to avoid people pleasing. Here are five tips to help you!

October 17, 2024
7
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 8: How to Run a Business, Not a Hobby
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 8: How to Run a Business, Not a Hobby

Gym growth comes from operating as a legitimate business, not just a hobby. Here are the differences, and ten steps to get started in your gym!

October 10, 2024
7
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 6: Listening to Member Feedback
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 6: Listening to Member Feedback

Listening to member feedback is crucial for growth, but it's important to focus the right input from the right people. Here are three tips to get started!

September 26, 2024
5
 min
How an Arkansas PushPress Gym Grew to 300 Members in First Year
Starting & Growing a Gym

How an Arkansas PushPress Gym Grew to 300 Members in First Year

Legendary Fitness, a PushPress gym in Arkansas, is experiencing incredible growth in year one! Here are four keys to success for other gym owners.

September 24, 2024
4
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 5: Insights for Sustainable Growth
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 5: Insights for Sustainable Growth

Scaling your fitness business requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Here are some ideas and tips to help you make gym growth achievable!

September 20, 2024
5
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 4: Building a Strong Gym Community
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 4: Building a Strong Gym Community

Building the gym community you envision is a fundamental aspect of a successful and thriving gym. Here are five steps to get started today!

September 17, 2024
6
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 2: Ownership Over Coaching
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 2: Ownership Over Coaching

When it comes to long-term gym growth, your business-related tasks are essential. Here are five ways to prioritize them effectively!

September 5, 2024
5
 min
Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 1: Systems, Policies & Procedures
Starting & Growing a Gym

Gym Growth Blueprint Series, Part 1: Systems, Policies & Procedures

The right systems, policies and procedures can make all the difference in navigating gym growth. Here's why, and how to get started!

September 4, 2024
8
 min
“We Had No Idea”: A Lesson from Turning a Hobby into Opening a Gym
Starting & Growing a Gym

“We Had No Idea”: A Lesson from Turning a Hobby into Opening a Gym

Opening a gym is an adventure! It should be fun but not taken lightly. Here's one gym owner's tale of how he turned a hobby into a legit business.

March 12, 2024
4
 min
Finding Gym Space Part VII: When Owning a Gym is Better than Renting
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part VII: When Owning a Gym is Better than Renting

Purchasing real estate can sometimes be a beneficial option in owning a gym. Here's how one fitness business owner made the right moves with her gym space!

January 31, 2024
4
 min
Finding Gym Space Part VI: Successfully Investing in Gym Real Estate
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part VI: Successfully Investing in Gym Real Estate

Investing in gym real estate can be highly lucrative! Here's how one owner spent 15 years in the industry and then sold his gym for a substantial profit.

January 25, 2024
5
 min
Finding Gym Space Part V: The Dos and Don’ts of Building a Gym
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part V: The Dos and Don’ts of Building a Gym

Building a gym can be a great option for some fitness business owners. Here's a list of dos and don'ts to help you navigate the process!

January 24, 2024
5
 min
Finding Gym Space Part IV: A Tale of Retail Space and Triple Net Leases
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part IV: A Tale of Retail Space and Triple Net Leases

Some lessons are learned the hard way when finding gym space. Here's why one gym owner cautions against retail space and triple-net leases.

January 18, 2024
5
 min
Finding Gym Space Part III: A Tale of the $30,000 Lease Mistake
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part III: A Tale of the $30,000 Lease Mistake

When it comes to finding gym space, heed the lessons learned from other gym owners! Here's how one owner learned the hard way to get everything in writing.

January 16, 2024
4
 min
Finding Gym Space Part II: A Tale of Three Locations in Three Years
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part II: A Tale of Three Locations in Three Years

When starting a new gym, you don't always get it right on the first try. Here's a cautionary tale about one gym's adventures in finding gym space!

January 11, 2024
4
 min
Finding Gym Space Part I: The Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating Your Lease
Starting & Growing a Gym

Finding Gym Space Part I: The Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating Your Lease

Negotiating a lease can be a tricky part of finding gym space. Here's a list of dos and don'ts to help you navigate the process for your fitness business!

January 9, 2024
5
 min
Ten Profit Hacks to Increase Gym Revenue When Starting a Gym
Starting & Growing a Gym

Ten Profit Hacks to Increase Gym Revenue When Starting a Gym

Revenue is a crucial part of starting a gym and creating a thriving fitness business! Here are ten ideas to increase gym revenue through each stage.

December 28, 2023
8
 min
How PushPress Free Helped GRIT Grow to 150 Members in Nine Months
Starting & Growing a Gym

How PushPress Free Helped GRIT Grow to 150 Members in Nine Months

From a non-traditional start to 150 members, this Virginia Beach gym is doing all the right things! Here's how PushPress is helping them manage and grow.

October 31, 2023
3
 min

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