New Kids on the Block Gyms Australia: F45, The Yard and BFT

Which are the new kids on the block gyms Australia is queuing for now? The answer looks very different to 2019, when one name seemed to own the early-morning scene and everyone had a friend who swore by it.

Before Covid, F45 was heaving. The brand once claimed about 3,300 studios in 67 countries and a peak valuation near US$2 billion, which says plenty about how well the group-class formula landed with a lot of people. Then lockdown arrived, and when doors reopened the whole landscape had shifted.

Spoilt for choice

Suddenly there was a boutique studio, a reformer Pilates room and an unmanned 24-hour gym on every corner. The one-size-fits-all group class had real competition, and members who had spent months training in living rooms got pickier about where their money went. F45 was not the only brand to feel it, but it became the best-known cautionary tale.

The numbers tell the story. In the United States, F45 reached almost 1,000 outlets at one point. As of Sept 26 it still operated more than 650 there, which is a substantial footprint, just a long way from the peak. Its decline has been linked to financial pressures that followed its stock market listing. That is still a big business with a smaller dream, rather than a brand that has vanished, and for plenty of members the format and the community are still the draw.

There is a people side to the story too. F45 was often seen as more of a business than a local gym, with plenty of studios owned by investors who were not on the floor day to day. Some of those studios have struggled to hold on to their coaches lately, and where a coach goes, members tend to follow.

The Yard: one of the newer names

Among the newer names, The Yard is one that keeps coming up. It was founded in 2020 by Dan Bova and his wife Tiarne in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, and it describes itself as a boutique strength and conditioning gym. Dan has around fifteen years in fitness, while Tiarne spent a decade in fashion, including five years as a magazine stylist. That background may go some way to explaining why the brand looks as good as it does, with a polished, fashion-aware eye that most gyms simply do not have. The hands-on spirit carries through the network too, with many studios run by owner-operators who are in the room most days and know their members by name.

Training runs on three programs: RIG for power, strength and muscular endurance, TURF for conditioning and functional movement, and a "++" layer that adds mat Pilates, a run club and game-day sessions. Its tagline is "Do it all, do it together."

There is an F45 connection too. Former F45 CEO Rob Deutsch had joined The Yard as a strategic partner, when the gym had 22 franchises, mostly in New South Wales. The network has grown since then. By late 2025 the brand had sold more than 250 franchise licences, though licences sold are not the same as studios open. Physical locations are reported across Australia, the United States, New Zealand and Mexico. In May 26 it also announced Nike Training's first global gym partnership, with Nike supplying footwear and apparel for its coaches and team members.

BFT: an established name still expanding

Then there is BFT. Born in Melbourne and founded by Cameron Falloon, it now has more than 300 studios across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, Canada, the UK, Spain and other markets. Where The Yard trades on a boutique, premium feel and F45 on the energy of the big group class (which are getting smaller), BFT's pitch is scale and consistency, and it keeps opening. For anyone who wants a familiar format close to home, that is a reasonable thing to be offering. Like The Yard, many BFT studios are run by owner-operators who coach and train alongside their members, which tends to help keep both coaches and members around.

What it means for your next membership

None of this means F45 is finished, and none of the newer names are guaranteed. Franchise growth at the early stages is easier to announce, but it becomes harder to sustain, and the brands that last tend to be the ones that avoid saturating their own market. Still, the shift is clear: the gym floor is now a lifestyle choice, and people shop on atmosphere, community and a coach who knows their name as much as on price.

At a glance

• F45: once claimed about 3,300 studios in 67 countries; still more than 650 outlets in the US.
• The Yard: boutique strength and conditioning with RIG, TURF and "++" programs; more than 250 franchise licences sold by late 2025; Nike Training global partner. Rapidly growing with strong community
• BFT: founded in Melbourne; more than 300 studios globally and still expanding.

Verdict: F45 is a big brand with a smaller footprint than its peak, The Yard is a newer boutique name growing through franchising, and BFT is a Melbourne-born chain that keeps opening studios. Which one suits comes down to what you want from a session.