How REGYMEN Fitness Has Amplified Community Outreach Since Partnering With Local YMCAs

REGYMEN Fitness, the innovative and successful fitness studio franchise known for its exercise science-backed Burn, Box and Build classes, has had nothing but success since forging a partnership with the YMCA. In January of 2018, REGYMEN Fitness began offering its dynamic programs to the YMCA community, and currently, the fitness brand operates in a total of four YMCA branches––three within the YMCA of South Hampton Roads and one within the YMCA of Central Virginia. Since then, REGYMEN Fitness has helped build strong communities in each YMCA location.

Group fitness classes have been a long-time staple offering for the YMCA, making REGYMEN Fitness the perfect fit. YMCA members are able to experience REGYMEN Fitness’s programs, which include the Burn program, a high-intensity mixture of cardio and strength training; Box, which includes weights, cardio and agility; and Build, which is focused on strength training and fat burning. Members enjoy these unique workouts along with REGYMEN Fitness’s signature heart rate-monitoring technology, which helps take the guesswork out of a group fitness atmosphere.

“It’s kind of a new age of fitness in that everyone is looking for high-intensity interval training, heart rate monitoring and a group-style workout,” said Healthy Living Director and REGYMEN Director of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads Jillian Kelly. “This partnership has helped bring that next-level quality to the YMCA and added a different element to the YMCA's group exercise that it didn’t have before.”

For REGYMEN Fitness co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Edward “EK” Navan, the new culture of excitement that the boutique fitness studio is able to bring to the YMCA is one of his favorite aspects of the partnership. Navan is also deeply excited about having the opportunity to support community outreach by bringing REGYMEN Fitness’s programs to the YMCA.

“On the corporate level, we really enjoy working with the YMCA because it gives us the opportunity to really support community outreach, which is important to us because the YMCA is so ingrained in its communities,” said Navan. “Associating ourselves with these branches allow us to expand our reach inside the local YMCAs and bring health to the forefront.”

So far, Kelly and Navan are thrilled with the results they’ve seen since the partnership began. Along with the added revenue that the YMCA has seen since adding REGYMEN Fitness’s workouts to its offerings, one of the most rewarding aspects for Kelly has been the success stories from YMCA members. Whether it’s losing a significant amount of weight or overcoming larger health complications through exercise, Kelly has heard several client stories that make it clear that REGYMEN Fitness’s workouts are truly effective.

“It’s awesome to hear the stories from different members who have reached their goal weight because of these amplified group-styled workouts,” said Kelly. “I had one member who is over 60 and she’s seen incredible results as far as overall conditioning and doing more than she ever could. When we talk about how all ages can participate in these programs, we mean it.”

One of the driving ideas behind this successful partnership was to build stronger communities within the YMCA. As these new communities are being built, new people are exposed to the new workouts brought by REGYMEN Fitness, which make them want to become a member.

“These communities are encouraging other people to come on board, try out the new programs and eventually join full-time,” said Kelly. “What happens is that these people get really great results from these programs and as they do, the success of the program continues to grow and more people want to join. It’s energized our members and invented a new level of excitement when it comes to training.”

As far as expansion, REGYMEN Fitness is talking to an additional seven YMCA associations, which represent 40 different branches. While there’s no set-in-stone timeline on when the next YMCA will be opening its doors to REGYMEN Fitness, Navan said he looks forward to a long-lasting partnership. 

“The YMCA is a gold standard as far as how they look at programming and how they implement it,” said Navan. “Ultimately, we see REGYMEN Fitness experiencing continuous growth year over year with YMCAs across the country.”

REGYMEN Fitness and the YMCA’s partnership looks to be an ever-evolving one and based on the success both companies have experienced, the future of this collaboration has never looked brighter.