Fitness franchises are among the most popular type of franchise businesses. When you own your own fitness franchise, you'll be tapping into a major need for the vast majority of the population. Each year more and more people want to lose weight and get in shape. As the nation looks at rising obesity rates, especially in children, fitness is going to become a bigger concern.

If your background is in the fitness industry, or you've been a lifelong athlete, owning a fitness business could be the opportunity you've been looking for. Consider the following fitness industry statistics:

* There are over 30,000 health clubs across the United States

* Over 42 million Americans belong to a type the fitness club

* Adults 55 years of age and older make up about a quarter of fitness club memberships

When you own a fitness business, people trust you with their health. Unlike other types of businesses, your fitness franchise can have a lasting impact on the quality of life of your customers. With this in mind, it takes a lot of trust in order to build a customer base. When you own a fitness franchise business you'll be backed by the familiarity and high-level professionalism that comes from the fitness franchise. Instead of working hard to prove to the public that you're running a legitimate fitness business, they'll know instantly that yours is a gym that they can trust.

Fitness franchises come in many different shapes and sizes, no pun intended. There are fitness businesses that cater to women only. Women-only fitness franchise businesses are growing in popularity and there are many from which to choose. One of the most popular is Curves, but there are many other fitness franchises that have taken advantage of this popular trend. If you want to offer women a secure place to work out and lose weight you may want to consider one of these fitness franchises. While Curves focuses on low impact circuit training, others like Fit Zone for Women offer a wide variety of fitness classes.

Twist Sports Conditioning Centres have been offering athletic training in a gym environment since 1999. This fitness franchise offers personalized training that helps athletes achieve better performance on the court, the field or the ice. The professional trainers focus on challenging customers to push their bodies to new limits. If you're coming from an amateur or professional sports background, Twist Sports Conditioning may be the perfect franchise for you.

Fitness businesses aren't just for the young and fit; they are also for the young at heart. Nifty After Fifty is a fitness franchise that allows you to cater to the growing population of older Americans who want to stay fit. While this franchise business is just two years old, it will allow you to tap into a hungry market and offer a facility that will allow them to exercise in a non-judgmental environment. Nifty After 50 offers exercise classes, nutritional training and other services that help customers improve their health and overall quality of life.