Led by Darrick Druce, CR Fitness’ personal training arm does six figures in revenue per club per month, outpacing HVLP gym standards
CR Fitness Holdings has emerged as the largest and fastest-growing franchise group in the thriving Crunch Fitness system, recently topping 70 gyms as it eyes 100 clubs by 2026.
Crunch’s top franchisee is also a leader when it comes to personal training. CR Fitness averages a whopping $166,000 per club per month in personal training revenue, outpacing industry standards, especially for high-value, low-price (HVLP) gyms.
The leader of CR Fitness’ personal training business, vice president of personal training Darrick Druce, joined the company back in 2016 after spending time as a staffer for the Chicago Bulls, YMCA and LA Fitness. Over the last eight years, Druce has built CR Fitness’ personal training arm into one of the industry’s best (the company did just $24,000 per month per club in revenue in 2016).
Druce sat down with Athletech News to share how CR Fitness drives personal training revenue by taking a member-first approach, recruiting top talent and adapting to industry trends.
Put ‘People Over Profit’
When Druce got to CR Fitness, his first focus wasn’t on driving personal training revenue (that would come later). Instead, he sought to create a culture that could thrive from gym to gym.
“Industry experience taught me that people run our business,” he tells ATN. “So when we got here, the goal was, let’s prioritize people over profit.”
Druce says gyms must resist the temptation to turn personal training into a sales-first process, calling this an “old-school” way of thinking. Instead of aggressively pushing a personal training package at point-of-sale as soon as a member signs on the dotted line for a membership, gym staff should seek to build a relationship with the member, understanding their fitness goals and aspirations.
“The reality is all members have goals,” Druce says. “(But) very few members have a plan that aligns with the goal.”
If gym staff can build a rapport with the member, shelling out extra money on a personal training package becomes much more palatable – and more effective over the long run.
“We’re trying to get them interested in the idea of taking a coach with them on their journey, and having guidance and mentorship along the way,” Druce adds.
For CR Fitness, the strategy seems to be paying off. Druce reports that around 60% of the franchisee’s new members decide to purchase an introductory personal training session, called “CruchONE Kickoff.” Of those who attend the kickoff session, around 42% opt to buy a longer-term personal training package.
Be ‘Relentless’ in the Pursuit of Top Talent
Personal training might be on the rise post-pandemic, but many big-box gyms are finding it more difficult to hire and retain quality staff due to competition from social media and lingering effects from COVID-era gym shutdowns.
“We have to be relentless in our pursuit of the right talent,” Druce says.
CR Fitness is certainly relentless in its pursuit of quality personal trainers, scouring LinkedIn and sometimes doing tens of interviews just to hire the right candidate. Druce highlights the importance of hiring staff who embody CR Fitness’ member-first culture.
“We want talented people, but we want people who prioritize the member over themself,” he says. “It’s a selfless sacrifice. If we’re hiring managers who only care about how much they sell and their own personal paycheck, we probably hired the wrong person.”
While CR Fitness is relentless in its recruitment of outside talent, it also hires from within. Druce notes that around 70% of personal trainers at CR Fitness-owned Crunch gyms started out as members.
This is an important recruiting tool for big-box gyms to leverage, he believes.
“All of our members chose us over our competitors, which means they chose to spend their money here. They believe in who we are at CR fitness,” Druce says. “So if I’m meeting someone in the club who chose us, who looks the part, who seems confident on the floor, I strike up a conversation with them.”
After the right talent is identified, the CR Fitness team is confident its onboarding program is second to none in the industry. As part of the onboarding program, new trainer hires get coached by district managers at CR Fitness’ corporate office, learning the ins and outs of the business of personal training before they ever start training clients.
CR Fitness’ recruitment strategy seems to be paying off, with trainer retention metrics far above industry averages.
“We only have a 4% (monthly) turnover rate right now, which is unheard of in the industry,” Druce notes. “I’ve been part of organizations before where they have over 100% turnover across 12-month timeframes.”
Adapt or Die: Embrace New Trends
CR Fitness’ personal training success speaks for itself, but the company isn’t resting on its laurels. Druce and his team are constantly evolving the program to account for new trends in fitness and technology.
For example, the company has made its personal training program fully digital, allowing members to track their workouts and communicate with trainers from their phones when they’re outside of the club.
“The reality is there are two main reasons that a client quits: lack of communication between them and their trainer, and lack of usage of their sessions,” Druce says. “If we can ensure that their session usage stays on track with what they purchase and that their trainer communicates well, we know that client’s going to stay long term, so we’ve doubled down on those two things.”
Evolving includes embracing new ways of working out, including the global rise of strength training. CR Fitness has added more strength equipment to its Crunch gyms while scaling down on its cardio machine offerings. Personal trainers actively encourage members to include strength training in their routines.
“Whether it’s Phil Heath the bodybuilder walking through the door or Mrs. Jones, who’s working out for the first time in her 60s, we want to introduce them to free weights and strength training early,” Druce says.
CR Fitness is also embracing AI, using artificial intelligence to analyze data and help personal trainers decide when it’s the right time to reach out to clients to keep them engaged in their training journey. Personal trainers can also use AI to help design workout programs, if they choose. This can be especially beneficial for trainers with large client rosters, Druce notes.
Overall, Druce believes CR Fitness’ early embrace of AI reflects the company’s entrepreneurial approach since day one.
“We’re willing to take risks,” he says. “I think in business, or anytime you’re an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to take risks. We’re not afraid to adapt because adaptability is what allows you to survive in any business.”
