The most important facts in brief:

• In 1956, the first fitness studio in Germany was opened by Harry Gelbfarb.
• The 1970s are considered the beginning of the modern fitness industry due to the development of new, more user-friendly equipment.
• This decade also saw the emergence of the first racket clubs and large-scale facilities in Germany.
• Wellness and spa services were added to the portfolio of many German fitness facilities in the 90s.
• The 21st century is characterised above all by the development of the discount segment.

The first sports clubs as we understand them today were founded in the mid-19th century, often with a strong political motivation due to the lack of institutional alternatives.

This was also the reason for the creation of the first commercial operators, because after both Jahn's gymnastics associations and the early clubs had been largely banned due to their political orientation, the first commercial institutions were formed in some cities from around 1820 onwards, which offered the local middle classes the opportunity to practise actual fitness sports.

The idea of community-oriented gymnastics and sports clubs was also exported by German emigrants to the United States, where the first "Turnvereins" were founded in the mid-19th century in major cities such as New York, Boston or Philadelphia.

Continue reading here: https://www.bodymedia.de/themen/trends-specials/die-entwicklung-des-fitnessmarktes.html

Source: edelhelfer/BODYMEDIA
Picture: Bodymedia