This is not your average CrossFit…
What’s up Gym World?
Back in 2009, Eric Chang was a college student training friends and family out of his mom’s garage for just $10 a session. Three years later, he opened Reason Fitness to introduce the people of LA County to CrossFit.
💬 Fun fact: A prof once told Eric that CrossFit wasn’t a legit way to get fit. But he tried it anyway, and he’s been hooked ever since.
Most affiliates stick with a large group model, but Eric runs an alternative approach that brings in $1M a year with just 150 members—and most of that’s from semi-private training. Those numbers are UNREAL for a CrossFit gym.
Here’s how he did it:
Building Reason Fitness 🏋️
Eric’s fitness journey started when he met his wife and wanted to get jacked and help others do the same. He became a personal trainer at 19, then went on to study kinesiology in college in 2009. That’s where he first heard about CrossFit.
💬 CrossFit was still so new, and one of his professors claimed it wasn’t “scientifically backed” and advised against it. But Eric tried it anyway and got hooked.
Around that time, Eric was working at two big-box gyms and training friends and family in his mom’s garage. They’d chip in $10 as a donation, which helped him buy equipment like barbells and anti-fatigue mats.
But living in California wasn’t cheap, and making a living as a trainer was tough. Eric took up property management on the side, but the extra work took a toll. His wife suggested he open a gym, so he quit his jobs and went for it.
💬 Eric started working at 15, and he and his wife lived humbly throughout their 20s to save. He funded the gym with pre-sales and a credit card.
CrossFit Reason opened in 2013 in a 2,400 sq ft space in an abandoned strip mall.
Eric had most of the equipment he needed, including:
- 14 barbells
- 2000 lbs of plates
- 1-2 of each kettlebell
And to grow the gym, he posted photos on Facebook like HQ did and quickly became known as the CrossFit guy in his area.
💬 Back then, it was easier to get people to try CrossFit because it was still new and exciting. Eric didn’t start running paid ads until 2019.
Eventually, the gym rebranded as Reason Fitness and moved to a 5,000 sq ft space.
The gym today 👀
Reason Fitness looks and feels like a CrossFit gym, but 9 out of 10 people don’t realize it. That’s because Eric focuses on transformation, longevity, and health, using programs rooted in CrossFit methodology.
The gym has 150 members and offers:
- Personal and semi-private training – average $1k-$2k every 4 weeks
- Group training (CrossFit) – average $250-$300 every 4 weeks
- Hybrid training (group sessions and check-ins) – average $400-$500 every 4 weeks
They also offer a 52-week program for losing 30+ pounds that’s split into three stages:
💬 The Reason TRANSFORM program costs $4,140 every 4 weeks. That’s a $50k/year—the highest ticket we’ve seen on Gym World.
Every prospect goes through a 3-step sales process:
- Free No Sweat Intro (NSI): done by phone or in-person
- $200 Non-Refundable Assessment: includes a training session and a full health and fitness audit; $100 is credited to membership if they join
- Membership Selection: choose the best plan to fit their goals
💬 Eric says 75% of prospects show up for the NSI, over 90% of those prospects complete the assessment, and 80% buy a membership after the assessment.
Here’s his revenue breakdown:
- 40% comes from personal and semi-private training
- 20% from group training
- 15% from hybrid training
- 10% from front-end offers
- The rest from deposits and assessments
💬 The gym generates around $83,500 a month. That’s INSANE for a CrossFit gym. 🤯
He’s got 10 staff to run the place, including:
- 6 full-time coaches
- 1 full-time media person
- 1 part-time coach
- 2 part-time physiotherapists
💬 I’ve met Eric’s staff, and there’s not a lot of turnover, which suggests he treats them well.
Other ventures 🚀
It’s been years since Eric stepped back from the day-to-day to create more opportunities for his team. He hasn’t coached a class since 2018 and now spends just 4-5 hours a week on the business.
💬 Eric mostly spends his time in meetings, client check-ins, and building the gym’s brand and culture.
Rather than opening a second location like most gym owners, he focused on personal projects like:
- Writing a book
- Starting a lifestyle coaching business (2021-2024)
The coaching business helped Eric stay connected with clients who’d moved away while generating extra revenue:
- Before COVID, he made $3,000/mo with 10 clients.
- After relaunching, he scaled it to $50k/mo.
💬 Eric used his coaching expertise to add more value to the high-ticket transformation programs in his gym.
And while it’s been successful, Eric says it’s starting to wear him down, so he’s winding it down.
Notes for gym owners 🎙️
Eric discovered CrossFit in 2009 and opened Reason Fitness as it was peaking in popularity.
Now, his gym makes $1M a year with 150 members, and most of his revenue comes from personal and semi-private training.
Starting from scratch today, it’d be hard to replicate this success with large group classes alone. You’d either need to:
- Attract 200-300 members, or
- Charge a premium, like Eric.
The top players got in early. If I had to guess, Eric is likely in the top 1% of CrossFit gym owners in terms of profitability.
💬 When I asked him what’s next, he said he’s still figuring it out.
For more on Reason Fitness and Eric’s other business ventures, be sure to watch or listen to his full interview on Gym World.
ttyl,
j
📣 P.S. If you found this interesting, share it with another gym owner who’d think so too.
