Training Mate Targets 50 New Territories as Social Fitness Concept Expands Across U.S.

The Australian-inspired HIIT brand is prioritizing Texas, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and Illinois as it looks to grow from 11 studios to 15 by year-end

Training Mate, the Australian-inspired boutique fitness brand founded by former professional rugby player Luke Milton, is accelerating its national expansion plans as demand grows for fitness concepts built around community.

The brand currently has 11 studios and is aiming to reach 15 open locations by the end of 2026. Over the next 12 months, Training Mate is prioritizing direct expansion in Texas, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and Illinois while selling into 50 territories.

The update marks the latest step in Training Mate’s push beyond its Los Angeles roots. The concept, which launched its first brick-and-mortar studio in West Hollywood in 2013, has built its following around 45-minute HIIT classes that blend strength, cardio and plyometrics with a distinctly social, team-oriented format.

Each class is designed to feel like a group experience, with rotating stations, partner-based interaction, high-energy music and constant encouragement from instructors. The brand also leans into its Australian identity through exercise names like “Kangaroo Jumps” and “Wallaby Shuffles.”

But Training Mate’s broader pitch is one of “social health,” a term Milton has used to describe the brand’s focus on helping members form real connections through fitness.

“We want to build community and healthy lifestyles by making people fall in love with a fitness experience, not just a workout,” Milton previously told Athletech News.

That positioning has become increasingly relevant as boutique fitness concepts compete not only on programming, but on the strength of their communities. Training Mate hosts out-of-class events including “no-shower happy hours,” hikes and beach days, creating touchpoints that extend beyond the workout floor.

Training Mate has sold 22 franchise units to date, with several new markets expected to come online as development ramps up. Recent franchise activity includes multiple California locations in Manhattan Beach, Brentwood, Playa Vista and Pasadena, five Austin units sold to a single buyer, a Dallas-area location in Richardson and Tampa and St. Petersburg units sold to one buyer.

The brand’s expansion is also being supported by Franchise FastLane, which added Training Mate to its CarPool program last year. The program is designed to support emerging franchise brands as they scale, with services that include development coaching, territory checks and sales support.

The brand’s direct focus on Texas, Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and Illinois also points to a broader move beyond major coastal fitness markets. While Training Mate has long been associated with Los Angeles, its next phase will test whether its Australian-inspired, community-first HIIT model can scale across fast-growing franchise markets where boutique fitness demand remains strong.

As Milton previously told Athletech News, Training Mate’s point of difference is not simply its workout format, but the feeling members get when they walk in.

“We’re literally the party you want to host,” he said. “Our point of difference is our community, our engagement and our social health. You come to a Training Mate and you just get it.”