Leading sports apparel brand Nike has announced plans to partner with FitLab, an integrated operating company of performance lifestyle brands, to open group fitness studios called Nike Studios later this year.
The first two stores will open in West Hollywood and Newport Beach, California. These stores will be used as places to support home workout apps and as event spaces for social fitness-related events.
The Nike Studio concept is “next generation of group fitness,” and will offer workouts focused on functional training and running. The Nike Training Studio classes, a combination of interval and strength classes dubbed “NTS,” use functional equipment such as weights, kettlebells, sleds, and sandbags. The program is divided into periodized training blocks that rotate through three different workouts, and progress can be evaluated after each period.
The Nike Running Studio classes, consisting of treadmill and floor work called “NRS,” will target strength, balance, and mobility, as well as cardio, as part of a sprint, capacity, and endurance workout. Among the tricks that will be used are NRS pace screens showing solo and group challenges to create an immersive and unique experience.
To use a Nike studio, people must enroll in a monthly membership. It is currently only available at one location, but in the future, they plan to release an “all-access membership” that allows for workouts at any of its studios.
FitLab, the company with which Nike has partnered, originally teased plans for “connected fitness studios” combined with digital products and mass participation events to expand its hybrid fitness vision. The company raised $15 million last year for that purpose. Also, Fit Lab co-founder Brian Kirkbride, who previously worked for Nike, oversaw the Nike+ Lab and the company’s accelerator program.
Nike launched the Nike Well Collective, a new initiative dedicated to holistic fitness in June. Targeted primarily at women, the collective works with global fitness trainers and world-class researchers, scientists, medical professionals, and academics in the holistic fitness and reproductive health industry to provide a comprehensive wellness support space that includes innovation, expertise, services, and experiences for the body, mind, and life.
The company has also long focused on workout apps such as Nike Training Club and Nike Run Club. Last December, they sought to further expand access by offering some of its workout content to Netflix.
Regarding the studio opening, a Nike spokesperson said that Nike is committed to delivering innovation, expertise, service, and experiences across the body, mind, and life.
“As part of that commitment, they are deploying new trainers around the world and investing in the five pillars of Nike’s holistic fitness: movement, mindfulness, nutrition, rest, and connection,” she added.