NASHVILLE – Within the $25.8 billion national health club industry, there is only one fitness concept that has hundreds of professional athletes flocking to its training and ownership opportunities. D1 Training, a leading fitness concept that utilizes the five basic tenets of athletic-based training to help people of all ages achieve their sport and fitness goals, is rapidly expanding through its recently launched franchise opportunity. By year’s end, D1 Training seeks to expand to more than 50 locations through strategic franchise partnerships.
Founded in 2001 by former NFL Denver Broncos player Will Bartholomew, D1 Training began as a passion project following an injury. While working on his comeback, Bartholomew trained neighborhood kids in his hometown of Nashville. Within three years, his training class elevated from a community field to a 4,500-square foot performance center. From there, Bartholomew partnered with former University of Tennessee teammate, Peyton Manning, to purchase an eight-acre tract in which D1 Training was officially born. In 2016, the brand began offering franchise opportunities and has since attracted professional athlete owners including Tim Tebow, Von Miller, and Randall Cobb.
“The D1 mission is to provide anyone dedicated to a sport or fitness a place to get healthy and improve themselves – whether training for the pros or training to raise a family,” stated Michael Abramson, president of D1 Training. “In conjunction with health and fitness, our company passion lies in giving back to the community which has made us an attractive business venture for professional athletes. Since beginning to franchise less than a year ago, we’ve received tremendous interest from not only professional athletes, but medical professionals and local entrepreneurs. We’re eager to continue growing the D1 brand to reach communities nationwide.”
D1 Training currently has 33 performance centers open with nine additional locations awarded across 24 states. Mostly recently, D1 Training signed agreements to open locations in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Lexington, Ky.; Stevens Point, Wis.; Charleston, S.C.; and Texas. To accelerate the brand’s growth, D1 Training is seeking entrepreneurs to develop the franchise concept throughout the United States in key markets such as Florida, Minnesota, North Carolina, and South Carolina. D1 Training anticipates 22 new franchise agreements signed by 2018 and more than 100 locations operating in the next five years.
Offering a viable franchise opportunity to be part of the booming fitness industry, the D1 Training franchise opportunity appeals to all demographics and age groups providing a larger revenue stream than most boutique concepts. While potential franchisees are not required to hold a background in fitness, ideal prospects have a strong desire to own a business, as well as being passionate and committed to giving back to the community.
All D1 Training locations offer five age-based programs including Rookie (ages 7-11), Developmental (ages 12-14), Prep (ages 15-18), Boot Camp (adults), and Strength Training (adults). Each fitness program is based on the five athletic-based tenets: dynamic warm-up, performance guide, strength program, core and conditioning, and cool down. To ensure athletes are on track to meet sport and fitness goals, every eight weeks new workouts are created by Bartholomew and a panel of six top coaches optimized for desired results. Each session is complemented with playlists based on various BMPS to match each tenet of athletic-based training. Outside of group workouts, D1 Training offers one-on-one training with world-class trainers which has been utilized by professional and Olympic athletes.
About D1 Training
Founded in 2001 by former NFL player Will Bartholomew, D1 Training is a national fitness concept providing programs for all ages that are based on the five basic tenets of athletic-based training to achieve sport and fitness goals. Based in Nashville the brand began franchising in 2016 and has more than 30 locations currently open across 24 states and anticipates more than 75 locations operating by 2019. Named a Top 30 Gym in America by Men’s Health, D1 Training has also received recognition by the NFL Players Association as well as being endorsed by the National Academy of Health Medicine.