What are the Best Group Training Classes to Attract New Gym Members?

The right group training strategy can do more than engage existing members. It can also attract new ones.

There is no single group training format that will attract every prospective member, but with new gym joins down 9% year-on-year according to new ABC Fitness research, it pays to take a fresh look at how your studio offering can support member acquisition.

Overall, the best choice depends on the audience your club wants to reach, but successful classes share several characteristics: clear consumer appeal, accessible entry points, high-quality delivery, social connection and a consistent experience.

Put simply, the best classes attract attention, give new participants the confidence to take part, and provide an experience they want to repeat.

Which fitness classes are most likely to attract new members?

Clubs that excel in growth and retention ensure their group training offering reflects the most popular training modalities among today's consumers. From strength to sculpt, and boxing to circuits, a diverse offering gives winning clubs a leading edge because they provide members more reasons to return. This creates a timetable that caters to diverse preferences, while maximizing attendance across more sessions.

Some of the most popular modalities for members today include:

Strength training

Strength training is the number one workout of choice for Gen Z and Millennials right now and is a perfect addition to any timetable due to its broad appeal. The 2026 Global Fitness Report found strength-based formats have become the leading group training category, showing a 20% uplift in popularity since 2018.

As a modality, it serves all demographics thanks to its ability to help members feel stronger, offering a powerful sense of achievement. It’s also a core component of supporting longevity with ageing populations. But there’s another reason it’s a sure-fire group fitness hit: 54% of all aspiring strength trainers don’t know where to start, and 50% say they’re intimidated by the weights area.

With the thought of getting started overwhelming for many, Instructor-led strength workouts are the perfect way to ease nervous exercisers into the category with a motivating experience that builds confidence and drives results as they progress.

HIIT and functional training

Making your studio attractive to time-conscious prospects with busy lives requires formats that can deliver high-impact training at pace. HIIT workouts help your timetable work harder and more efficiently due to their flexible, efficient training style. The shorter sessions increase turnover in your studio, while members still leave feeling satisfied with their workout.

Luke Heapes, Member Experience Manager at West Wood Clubs, Ireland, says strategic scheduling helps members get more from each club visit: “Reducing class times creates opportunities for class links. If we can create a timetable that supports members to come to the studio and get their strength, cardio and stretching fix in one go, then it’s a more fulfilling visit. It also means they’re not exhausted by having to work out for two hours to cover all bases.”

Indoor cycling

When asked about working out in a new environment, nearly a third (32%) of all consumers say they’re keen to use equipment they’re familiar with; 25% worry about being judged for doing things incorrectly; and 22% say they’d feel most comfortable following an Instructor (2026 Global Fitness Report). All of which combined makes Indoor Cycling a perfect offering for attracting new members, with its low barrier to entry, ease of adoption and the immersive experience that’s on offer. It’s also easy for Instructors to coach adaptations with resistance and intensity, allowing new members to ease themselves into the workout and increase their chances of returning.

And when it comes to space allocation per user, cycling is a clear winner. Compared to activities like free weights, which require approximately 7m²/75FT² per user, a cycle studio needs just 2m²/22FT² per user – allowing you to fill your studio and free up other areas of the club.

Mind-body classes

The ability of mind-body classes to attract and retain members is reflected in the enthusiasm of existing participants, with 94% agreeing the gym is among the most important tools in their wellness toolkit. And the studio is the central hub to help them get their fix: Yoga, Mat and Reformer Pilates, Breathwork and Sculpt training are all soaring modalities right now that offer simple entry points to the studio for new members.

While strength, HIIT and other high-impact workouts will attract new joiners in search of intensity, the modern member is looking for a rounded offering that also helps them unwind. 45% of current members work out for their mental health and 42% do so to reduce stress (2026 Global Fitness Report).

Modern members see workouts that deliver on community and offer low-impact, recovery-based movement as a basic expectation.

With wellness now embedded in the modern psyche, the more aspects of it a facility can support, the greater the potential for brand advocacy. After all, when people find a place that meets their holistic wellness needs, they’re far more likely to share it with others.

What turns a popular class into an effective acquisition tool?

Make the first experience accessible

Prospective members are weighing your classes against other ways to be active, be that working out at home, outdoors, or in a competing club, so the experience needs to feel welcoming and easy to step into.

That’s why your marketing materials and in-club staff should communicate:

• Clear explanations
• Options for different fitness levels
• Newcomer-friendly atmosphere
• An environment in which choosing modifications feels normal
• Novice-friendly language

Showcase your Instructors

Instructors are a key piece of your member recruitment strategy. Successful Instructors do far more than lead a workout. They read the room, communicate clearly, offer modifications, build confidence, foster connections between participants, and create a consistently positive experience that encourages members to return. Making prospective members aware of these benefits can be just as important as delivering them, helping to turn interest into membership.

With social media now a key marketing channel, prospects are researching your club long before they're in it. Giving your studio a shop window on social media helps shape perceptions early and can accelerate the path to joining. By showcasing the vibe, energy and connection that’s on offer, you’re more likely to win the 67% of consumers who agree that community is the biggest driver of motivation and accountability in their fitness routine.

Tine Boles, Group Training Development Manager at West Wood Clubs says: “Modern members don't just come to work out or lift a weight, they come for an experience. And that's so important these days to really keep in mind, especially if you're trying to capture a new audience that you don't see in your studios, classes or gyms.”

Match the class to the people you want to attract

To fill the gaps in your club's demographic profile, your offering needs to align with the audiences you're targeting. Brett Sutton, CEO of leading club chain Les Mills New Zealand (LMNZ), says: “It’s important operators know who the customer is, and what that customer wants from them. Then they can develop an offering that meets the requirements. Once you have an idea of how that looks, functions, and what you're chasing, then it's about creating a setup with programming that meets the demands of the demographic. That means keeping an eye on international trends and responding quickly to make sure you capture the market.”

It was this approach that led Nicole Grainger, National Group Fitness Manager at Fitness and Lifestyle Group to bring CEREMONY HYROX to her club, helping broaden studio appeal. She explains: “The format has strengthened our appeal to younger members and men, two demographics that can be harder to attract to traditional group training. 65% of CEREMONY HYROX attendees are men, and the average participant age is 34, which is significantly younger than the rest of our classes.”

Once you've identified your target demographic, the next step is reaching them through the channels most likely to influence their decision-making, whether that's social media, digital advertising, email marketing, or local community outreach, while using in-club promotion to turn existing members into advocates who drive valuable word-of-mouth recommendations.

Will the class work for your club?

While there’s no need to take an exclusionary approach, adapting and marketing your offering to suit the generation(s) you’re targeting shows you understand their needs and are well-positioned to meet them. But one thing is clear: choice is a modern member staple – especially for younger members. 64% want to try new workouts and ways to get fit, while 62% want activities that push them to their limits. Younger generations are also more inclined to seek group workout experiences: 45% are looking for them vs just 27% of older generations (2026 Global Fitness Report).

When it comes to aligning the spend you have available with the workouts you deliver, useful questions to consider across key pillars of your club include:

Space and equipment

• Can the class use existing space?
• How many participants can take part comfortably?
• What equipment and storage are required?
• Can equipment be used across several formats?

LES MILLS workouts are uniquely designed to help clubs answer these questions with confidence, combining efficient use of space, scalable class sizes and versatile equipment that can be used across multiple formats, delivering both operational efficiency and strong value for money. For example, LES MILLS™  weight plates used in a BODYPUMP™ or BODYPUMP HEAVY™ strength class can be repurposed for sculpt classes like CORE™ and SHAPES™ and in circuit formats, including CEREMONY HYROX. For Mind-Body offerings like LES MILLS YOGA™ or LES MILLS PILATES™, only a mat is needed.

Ability to scale

When you hit on a format that lands with members, it pays to be ready for growth. This is where the Instructor pipeline becomes an essential planning tool. If the answer to the following questions is ‘no’, then it’s likely there’s work to be done to ensure you’re ready to scale at pace, making now the ideal time to build the capacity and capability needed for future success.

• Can the format be expanded if demand grows?
• Can the same quality be delivered across multiple sessions or locations?
• Do you have a team of popular Instructors ready to upskill at short notice?

For advice and guidance on how to recruit for impact, check out operators’ failsafe hacks here.

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