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We extract fees, Item 19 financials, franchisee contacts, SBA default rates, litigation, and outlet data from every FDD — so you can compare brands in minutes, not months. Used by multi-unit operators, consultants, and franchise development teams.
Starting Strength
Strength Train LLC offers franchises for Starting Strength Gyms, which focus on a barbell-based strength training system developed by Mark Rippetoe. The gyms provide services including introductory sessions, workshops, group and private coaching, online coaching, nutrition coaching, and key-card access memberships, operating in small retail spaces of 645-2,000 square feet. The business model emphasizes uniform design, proprietary methods, and targets individuals of all ages and athletic backgrounds seeking to build strength in a competitive fitness market.
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Franchise Costs
8% royalty + 2% ad fund + $1227-$2037/mo fixed fees
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 28 Starting Strength Franchised Gyms open and operating as of March 21, 2026.
* Extracted 'Total Gross Revenue 3, 4' for 28 individual franchised gyms from the 'Sales Performance from Gym Opening to March 21, 2026' tables across two pages. Calculated the average, median, and the average of the top and bottom 25% of these revenue figures. The top 25% and bottom 25% were calculated by taking the mean of the 7 highest and 7 lowest revenue values respectively, from the sorted list of 28 revenues.
Extracted Item 19 Section
Avg. Revenue: $978,972
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Unlock financial performance dataHow Starting Strength Compares
Key Insights
- Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Fitness Studios
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Strength Current | $267K – $708K | $40K | 8.0% | 28 |
| Planet Fitness | $1.3M – $5.4M | $40K | 7.0% | 2,432 |
| ANYTIME FITNESS | $539K – $905K | $43K | N/A | 2,271 |
| HOTWORX | $289K – $830K | $20K | N/A | 797 |
| F45 Training | $362K – $858K | $60K | 7.0% | 706 |
| Pure Barre | $455K – $736K | $60K | 7.0% | 617 |
Fitness Studios Average 59 franchises | $447K – $1.0M | $49K | 6.9% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 59 Fitness Studios franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
+1 more states
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Unlock location growth dataSBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for Starting Strength franchisees (2021 – 2025)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
11 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
31 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
31 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
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Unlock due diligence reportsFrequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a Starting Strength franchise ranges from $267,257 to $707,518. This includes a franchise fee of $39,950. Ongoing royalty fees are 8.0% of gross sales.
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