The Yard Expands in SF, Eyes National Expansion With Private Training Pod Model

Built around the concept of giving people access to reservable strength training pods, The Yard is streamlining workouts, boosting personal trainer earnings in the process

The Yard was born out of two core issues facing the fitness industry: struggling personal trainers, and a lack of available equipment as gyms become more crowded, a problem that’s been further amplified by the strength training boom.

The San Francisco Bay Area-based concept hinges on a reservation-based model, in which members and personal trainers can reserve private training pods, which include a squat rack and accessories. The model allows members to streamline their workouts, without worrying about waiting around for open equipment, while offering a clear value proposition for independent trainers.

“It was frustrating to go to the gym and the sole squat rack was taken,” The Yard founder Joe Cicero told Athletech News.

When he founded The Yard — not to be confused with The Yard Gym, an Australia-based brand that’s also expanding in the U.S. — Cicero was inspired by the traditional barbershop and hair salon model, in which owners rent out chairs to independent hairdressers.

“Our trainer satisfaction and retention is really strong,” Cicero said. 

That’s likely because fitness professionals are turning more of a profit, he explained. Trainers can rent pods for $29 to $42 an hour, while charging upwards of $150 per hour on average — meaning they’re pocketing over $100 per session, Cicero said. On top of that, they appreciate  the privacy, exclusivity and efficiency of the business model.

Meanwhile, members appreciate knowing they’ll always have access to all the equipment they need to quickly get in a workout — especially in the Bay Area, filled with time-strapped young tech professionals, Cicero added.

The studios also offer shared access to dumbbells, cardio equipment, machines and cables, as well as reservable treadmills coaches can use for gait analysis, lactate testing and VO2 Max testing.

“The economics are really favorable over any alternative,” Cicero explained. He’s seen an uptick in trainers investing in more sessions, as they see the potential to keep growing at The Yard.

Cicero opened his first studio in December 2021, the second in April 2023, and is now gearing up to open The Yard’s third location this fall, all in the Bay Area.

That third club will expand the reservation concept into Pilates, with reservable reformers for independent instructors, in addition to group classes.

Cicero already has big plans for nationwide expansion, with aspirations to grow The Yard in other major cities fueled by a franchising model.

Top of mind is Los Angeles and the entire Southern California region, he said, alongside other big-city markets like New York and Chicago. Cicero noted that scaling The Yard is made easier thanks to the fact that the operation requires minimal staffing, with logistics like booking handled remotely.

Cicero also sees the potential to adapt The Yard to a variety of markets, with smaller cities and more suburban areas being better suited to bringing in more members than trainers, for instance, he explained.

“The market opportunity is pretty large, and most markets are addressable in different ways,” Cicero said.