The Yard: New Aussie gym cult ‘taking on F45’

A former F45 franchisee who split from the company has opened 12 gyms in two years - as the fitness empire he left behind suffers an epic fall from grace.

A former F45 franchisee who split from the company two years ago to start his own brand has gone from strength to strength, as the fitness empire he left behind suffers an epic fall from grace.

Sydneysiders Dan and Tiarne Bova sold their shares in F45 after eight years as franchisees for the company, and poured the cash into launching a competitor gym brand.

Their franchise The Yard — which describes itself as “a boutique strength and conditioning space that caters to all fitness levels and age groups” — began with a single suburban outpost in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire in 2020.

Now, just two years after launch, the Bovas have 10 locations across Australia and two in the USA.

“Our training model allows you to train like an athlete. You don’t have to be one, but it brings out the inner athlete in everybody,” Mr Bova explained.

The Bovas split from F45 two years ago and have gone from strength to strength. Picture: Supplied.

Cult gym franchise F45, meanwhile, continues to experience a staggering fall from grace.

The fitness industry has endured a massive shake-up in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many gyms — and building companies, and fashion labels, and furniture brands — going bust as cost of living soars.

At least 11 F45 Training gyms, known for their 45-minute functional high intensity interval training classes, have ceased operating amid mass staff lay-offs and resignations from board members.

The highest individual liabilities for a now-defunct F45 gym was almost $600,000, as F45-branded equipment was flogged on Facebook Marketplace in an attempt to recoup the losses.

Though The Yard is frequently touted as the “new F45”— potentially daunting, given the cult gym’s current struggles — Mr Bova said he was grateful to the company for teaching him “what to do and not do”.

“I’m really thankful for the time that I spent with them (F45). What they’ve done for the fitness industry has really set the pathway for what we’re doing today,” he said.

“I learned a lot, what to do and what not to do … I’m not too sure about their current status, but in my eyes it’s probably not important. They created history.”

Their coaches “can be coaches and not cheerleaders,” Mr Bova said. Picture: Supplied.

The Bovas credit The Yard’s ongoing success in the struggling market to their ability to “stay nimble”.

In fact, the couple signed the lease on their first location in Caringbah just two weeks before NSW’s first lockdown, and successfully rode out a dismal few years that have sunk a number of Aussie small businesses.

Mr Bova said they used the successive lockdowns to “market really well” via online and outdoor workout options, building a social media following that kept the brand afloat while their doors were closed.

The Caringbah location was matched with expansions to Wollongong, Heathcote and Peakhurst. Now, The Yard has opened two international locations with a pair of gyms in San Diego, California, launched after a contact expressed an interest in tapping the US market.

The first San Diego location had more than 400 inquiries within two weeks of opening, Mr Bova said.

Walking into The Yard is like “walking into a boutique hotel”. Picture: Supplied.

What makes the franchise different, Mr Bova said, was its “wow factor”. Picture: Supplied

Surprisingly, the couple does plan on stopping. In fact, they claim they are going for quality over quantity, and will max out at 250 franchises Australia-wide.

“We’re not a saturation model,” Mr Bova explained.

“We work on making sure that our franchisees have enough reach in terms of their territories, and enough support to keep going long-term … We’re really about making sure that we keep a high quality of gyms and standards.”

What makes the franchise different, Mr Bova said, was its “wow factor”.

“Our training programs allow our coaches to be coaches and not cheerleaders, as per some other models,” he explained.

“It’s not buzzer-based or timer-based, meaning the workout can be tailored to make sure our clients are well-trained and in correct form.”

Walking into one of The Yard’s locations, he said, was “like walking into a boutique hotel”.

“It’s a welcoming experience, with the folded towels, the water, the fresh bowl of fruit, the aesthetics,” he said.

“We’re the first to deliver that.”