How SH1FT became the go-to for major gym chains

Last year marked a transformative year for SH1FT, securing major Group Fitness partnerships with PureGym and 24 Hour Fitness, cementing its status as a trusted B2B provider and demonstrating its ability to seamlessly integrate within large-scale gym operations. With a relentless focus on innovation, SH1FT is setting new industry standards for Group Fitness—and 2025 looks set to be its biggest year yet.

From bold vision to industry transformation Behind this success lies a story of industry disruption. When Will Brereton watched instructors spending countless unpaid hours on pre-class prep, while their pay stagnated, he saw more than a problem – he saw an opportunity to revolutionise an industry. Drawing on his experience working at fitness giants Les Mills and Beachbody, he created SH1FT in 2017 with a clear vision: harness technology to slash instructor costs by 80% and preparation time by 90%.

SH1FT gained momentum when Samantha Brereton joined her brother as co-founder, combining Will’s fitness industry expertise with her business and marketing acumen. The New Zealand-born siblings’ complementary strengths built a strong leadership team, ready to take the company global.

Pioneering, next-generation group fitness solutions SH1FT challenged the status quo of ‘memorising pre-choreographed routines’ by pioneering an app-based approach to teaching. This breakthrough empowered instructors of all experience levels to deliver consistently high-quality classes while dramatically reducing their preparation time.

SH1FT’s laser focus on creating cost-effective, scalable solutions for instructors led them to develop six distinct group fitness formats, all built with the same efficiency-centred approach. This proven approach to streamlining instructor experiences perfectly positioned them to help gyms transform their member offerings.

Their model for gyms was simple yet impactful: they created a fully white-labelled solution that the gym could own and leveraged their instructor technology to offer unprecedented flexibility at a fraction of traditional costs.

SH1FT empowers gyms with scalable, tech-driven group fitness solutions

Gym partnerships in action

Following extensive pilot programmes, SH1FT successfully launched its innovative model across 24 Hour Fitness and PureGym in 2024.

These strategic partnerships have positioned SH1FT as an industry leader, proving that a flexible, tech-driven approach to group fitness is the future.

24 hour fitness partnership: delivering innovation in longevity training SH1FT developed two bespoke programs focused on healthspan and longevity, delivering a science-backed, branded experience across their live and digital network. Free from pre-formatted constraints, these programs exemplify SH1FT’s ability to create custom, high-impact solutions that remain cost-effective.

PureGym partnership: record-breaking scale SH1FT’s partnership with PureGym showcased unprecedented efficiency in scaling group fitness. After developing eight PureGym-branded formats and custom training programs, 3,900 instructors completed their training in just six weeks. The following month, January 2025, saw the nationwide launch of 15,000+ weekly classes. The partnership is designed to grow with PureGym’s international expansion.

Hugh Hanley, Group Director of Personal Training at PureGym, said: “SH1FT’s approach ensures every trainer, regardless of experience, can confidently lead classes. This has been instrumental in achieving a consistent and high-quality experience for our members while optimising our instructor resources.

“To create these eight programmes in-house would have required a much higher budget and taken significantly longer. With SH1FT, we have delivered a high-quality, PureGym-owned group fitness timetable faster and better than we ever thought possible.”

The road ahead

With momentum at an all-time high, SH1FT is preparing for its biggest year yet. A major new initiative launching in 2025 will further empower instructors and strengthen gym partnerships, reinforcing SH1FT’s role as a trailblazing B2B Group Fitness provider.

SH1FT’s journey from bold startup to global industry leader is a testament to innovation, adaptability, and a relentless commitment to instructors. As gyms push to deliver unparalleled member experiences, SH1FT stands ready to provide the tools and expertise that will shape the next era of group fitness.

● Find out more: [www.sh1ftfitness.net](https://www.sh1ftfitness.net/)