Gyms See Foot Traffic Spike in August, Shaking Off Q2 Concerns

Data from HFA’s Fitness Industry Traffic Tracker found that August visits bounced the industry back toward growth following a dip in the second quarter

August proved to be a strong month for gym operators across the U.S. for foot traffic, with big-box gyms leading the charge, according to recent data from the Health & Fitness Association.

The organization compiles anonymized foot-traffic data from more than 10,000 locations, categorized by high-value low-price (HVLP) gyms, mid-tier operators, luxury clubs and boutique/studios in its Fitness Industry Traffic (FIT) Tracker. Across the industry, weighted visits increased 2.4% from August 2025, signaling the strongest monthly result so far in 2026.

Among operators, HVLP locations accounted for the highest proportion of that increase, with 3.0% year-over-year growth, just beating out studios at 2.5%. Mid-market gyms increased 2.0%, while luxury clubs declined 1.5%, the data shows.

Moreover, HVLP, mid-market gyms and studios recorded their highest August visitation levels since 2019.

Additionally, since HVLP facilities have both a large sample size and substantially more visits per location than studios, they contributed 74% of the overall increase in foot traffic.

The data is encouraging, after an HFA report earlier this year showed a drop in visits for most gym categories in Q2 of this year except boutique studios. Previous data found that 2025 was one of the best years ever for gyms and studios, which was going to be tough to beat going into 2026 — but the August numbers could be an indicator that engagement is bouncing back for operators.

Looking globally, the HFA Global Survey from last month indicated an optimistic outlook for the industry, thanks to a 10.7% median revenue growth, 6.1% median net membership growth and the median EBITDA margin reaching 22.1% in 2025 across 244 operators representing nearly 27,000 fitness facilities across 33 countries.

That encouraging news comes even as gyms and studios are facing high operating costs and unstable economies that threaten consumer spending habits, as brands face financial pressure, with 86% of operators reported members have become more cost-sensitive this year, according to Wellhub’s 2026 Fitness Business Report.

Even so, Wellhub’s report also pointed towards a booming market, despite rising costs and competition. The global report of 662 gym and studio owners across 11 countries (surveyed between March 30 and April 9, 2026) found that 86% of gym and studio owners grew membership, while 56% improved their profit margin this year.