Wondering how to make money in the fitness industry? There are lots of creative ways to generate an income or boost existing revenue. Whether you’re a fitness professional, gym operator, online business owner, or just looking for inspiration, you’ll find new ideas here.

In this article, we share 50 proven ways to make money in the fitness industry, whether you’re just starting or want to diversify existing revenue streams.

We’re a specialist fitness marketing agency with 15+ years of industry experience, so we know first-hand what works (and what doesn’t!). We’ve helped gym operators and online fitness businesses to make more money by increasing sales revenue. But we’ve got lots of other practical ideas to share beyond that…

How to Make Money in the Fitness Industry

If you’re passionate about health and fitness, then you might be wondering how to monetize your interest. What are the best ways to earn an income while doing something you love?

Or maybe you’re entrepreneurial and want to tap into the business potential of the fitness sector. It’s growing at over 7% per year, with segments like online training and workout apps exploding even faster. So, what are the options?

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Free Fitness Marketing Guide

Learn which fitness marketing strategies produce the best results (so you can focus on what actually works).

There are lots of ways to make money in the fitness industry, from running a boutique studio or training clients online to selling gym equipment or becoming an influencer. Here are 50 proven money-making ideas in the health and fitness sector

  1. Providing one-to-one personal training
  2. Operating a gym, health club, or boutique fitness studio
  3. Organising fitness holidays or retreats
  4. Inventing fitness equipment and selling patents
  5. Small group personal training
  6. Developing fitness apps
  7. Selling fitness supplements
  8. Franchising your existing club or class concept
  9. Health and fitness blogging
  10. Leading awesome group exercise classes
  11. Designing workout gear
  12. Creating fitness subscription boxes
  13. Selling fitness equipment to gyms or consumers
  14. Running online fitness courses or workout programs
  15. Reselling fitness watches and trackers
  16. Earning commission as a fitness affiliate
  17. Working in gym membership sales
  18. Becoming a fitness influencer
  19. Launching an e-commerce store that sells fitness products
  20. Book-keeping for fitness professionals
  21. Hosting an online membership community for niche fitness enthusiasts like triathletes
  22. Running fitness seminars or workshops
  23. Selling juices or smoothies
  24. Fitness business coaching and consulting
  25. Designing stylish workout posters and selling them online
  26. Creating fitness and workout planners, journals, or food diaries
  27. Selling online meal plans based on fitness goals
  28. Becoming a master trainer for big fitness brands
  29. Officiating sports events
  30. Selling gym membership software
  31. Tutoring in biology
  32. Fitness modelling
  33. Freelance writing fitness articles
  34. Getting paid to speak at fitness expos and conventions
  35. Creating sponsored fitness content
  36. Selling fitness photography
  37. Reselling used fitness equipment
  38. Creating workout music and playlists to sell online
  39. Combining two sports into one new class (e.g. surf yoga)
  40. Managing social media for fitness brands
  41. Leading a running club
  42. Fitness equipment maintenance and servicing
  43. Crafting unique gifts for fitness fans
  44. Selling digital ebooks about fitness topics
  45. Creating a range of water bottles, gym towels, or other merchandise
  46. Fitness product arbitrage through Amazon FBA 
  47. Reselling vintage gym gear from second-hand shops and eBay
  48. Creating healthy recipe books
  49. Selling lockers to gym studios
  50. Creating a health and fitness podcast with advertising slots

The Most Profitable Way To Make Money In Fitness

As you can see, there are lots of creative ways to make money in the fitness industry beyond just personal training and running a gym.

Selling products to fitness businesses (like equipment, lockers, and software for health clubs) is one of the most profitable avenues. With a business-to-business (B2B) model you don’t need as many customers because the deals are worth a lot more money.

To make $5000 with coaching or gym memberships, you’d need 100 customers at $50 each. But with B2B, one customer alone can be worth $5000.

Fitness Marketing Strategies Ebook Hero LR

Free Fitness Marketing Guide

Learn which fitness marketing strategies produce the best results (so you can focus on what actually works).

Here are some examples of business-to-consumer (B2C) and B2B fitness brands so you can see how they differ…

  • B2C – this is where you sell your offering to the individual people who will be using your wares e.g. Peloton, GymShark, Runkeeper.
  • B2B – is where you sell to other businesses operating in the fitness industry e.g. Precor, Matrix, MindBody.

Whatever your experience and fitness interests, there are ways that you can monetize them. And if you’re ready to take the next step, then we have resources that can help…

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Ways To Increase Fitness Revenue

If you’re looking for ways to make MORE money in the fitness industry rather than new revenue streams, then we’ve also got you covered. There are essentially two options…

  1. Increase the volume of sales – by attracting new customers, selling more products to existing customers, or getting them to buy more frequently.
  2. Increase the value of sales – by raising your prices, upselling extras, or increasing the average purchase amount using bundles.

Focusing on these two areas is crucial for any business to succeed. There are also practical steps you can take that’ll gradually increase your income over time. These include…

  • Improving your sales skills
  • Asking for a pay rise
  • Optimising your sales funnel
  • Increasing prices
  • Trying out new marketing ideas

We’re planning to create a new article that focuses solely on this topic soon so join our email newsletter to get notified when it launches.

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Fitness Marketing & Lead Generation Roadmap

Your All-in-One Toolkit to Attract, Engage & Convert More Clients

Get The Fitness Marketing Roadmap

Your All-in-One Toolkit to Attract, Engage, and Convert More Clients – Tailored Specifically for Fitness Businesses Like Yours!

The Fitness Marketing & Lead Generation Roadmap is a comprehensive resource designed for gyms, personal trainers, and online fitness businesses. It’s packed with video workshops, marketing templates, step-by-step guides, cheat sheets, and more. We cover:

  • Fitness Marketing Strategy: Build a solid foundation and plan for success.
  • Lead Generation: Attract more clients with effective tactics.
  • Social Media: Boost your online presence and engagement.
  • Email Marketing: Nurture leads and convert them into loyal customers.
  • Advertising & Promotion: Get your message out there efficiently.
  • Content Marketing: Create compelling content that resonates with your audience.
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Caroline @ Wellness Creative Co

Qualified personal trainer (BSc Sports Science) & nutritionist (MSc Human Nutrition) with 15+ years of fitness & wellness marketing experience working with global brands.