It's Good to Be in the Boutique Fitness Business, at Least for Now

After seeing a few recent headlines, you might think the high-end fitness industry is showing early signs of struggle. After all, Flywheel Sports recently announced that it's shutting down more than a quarter of its cycling locations, and SoulCycle and Equinox are facing boycotts after news broke that owner Stephen Ross hosted a fundraiser for President Donald Trump. But new data research shows that a record number of people are heading to sweat it out in gyms and studios. Profits are up 8 percent compared to last year, now at over $32 billion, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. The sector with the strongest growth? Boutique fitness. While this may be good news to Barry’s Bootcamp, SoulCycle, and the like, it does come with a caveat: Pricey boutique classes will likely be one of the first luxuries to go when an eventual recession hits. While $34 per class may already seem like a stretch for many now, analysts predict it will be even more out of reach when budgets tighten. Goop, meanwhile, is hoping it can capitalize on people p