HOTWORX® has surpassed 900 open studio locations worldwide, marking a major milestone for the rapidly growing infrared fitness industry. With more than 400,000 active members across the United States, Canada, Ireland and Dubai, HOTWORX has grown from a single fitness studio concept into a global infrared workout franchise. The company is now on a path toward 1,000 HOTWORX locations, potentially reaching that milestone by spring 2027.

Big congratulations go out to multi-unit franchise owners, Samantha and Jonathan Kendrick and their Alabama team, on their recent opening of the 900th HOTWORX location in Fairhope. Samantha and Kendrick represent one of the growing class of multi-unit franchise owners within the HOTWORX franchise system. There has been a surge in multi-unit development within the brand recently. The company is actively responding to this demand by encouraging franchisees who qualify to learn how to scale with profitability and create their own franchise location empires.

The growth of HOTWORX reflects a larger consumer interest in infrared fitness, short-duration workouts and convenient fitness experiences. HOTWORX combines infrared heat, exercise and virtual instruction inside specialized infrared saunas. Members can participate in 30-minute isometric workouts or 15-minute HIIT sessions in the infrared sauna, creating a workout format designed around efficiency, accessibility and consistency.

What Is Infrared Fitness?

Infrared fitness combines physical exercise with infrared heat in an environment designed to elevate the body's thermal response during a workout. At HOTWORX, members exercise inside patented infrared saunas while participating in virtually instructed workouts.

The HOTWORX approach is often described as "3D Training" because it combines three elements: heat, infrared energy and exercise. Instead of spending an hour or more in a traditional gym, members can complete shorter, structured workouts while using the infrared sauna environment.

This combination has helped make infrared sauna workouts increasingly recognizable within the boutique fitness industry. HOTWORX is built around the idea that fitness can be more convenient when workouts are short, structured and available around the clock.

HOTWORX Surpasses 900 Locations Worldwide…

HOTWORX opened its first studio in Oxford, Mississippi, in 2017. Less than a decade later, the brand has surpassed 900 open HOTWORX locations worldwide, putting the company within reach of 1,000 studios. The milestone is particularly notable because most HOTWORX franchise owners began as members. After experiencing the infrared sauna workouts themselves, these members chose to become franchise owners and bring the concept to their own communities.

I would note that crossing 900 studios and 408,693 members in the same year tells us the model is working at scale. And since most of our owners were members first and they bet on infrared training because they experienced it first-hand and fell in love with the workout, it really is a testament to the quality and uniqueness of the product.

The company's development pipeline extends beyond its current studio footprint, with new markets being developed in Mexico and Kenya.

Infrared Sauna Workouts Designed for a Busy Lifestyle…

One of the defining characteristics of the HOTWORX workout model is time efficiency. HOTWORX offers 30-minute isometric workouts and 15-minute HIIT workouts inside infrared saunas, allowing members to incorporate structured exercise into busy schedules. The virtual instruction model also provides consistency from workout to workout. Rather than relying on an instructor to be physically present in every studio, members can access guided sessions anytime throughout the day.

That combination of 24-hour access, infrared sauna workouts and virtual instruction is central to the HOTWORX concept. Members can choose when they want to train while maintaining a consistent workout routine.

Technology Is Changing the HOTWORX Experience…

The expansion to more than 900 studios has been accompanied by a significant investment in technology. Much of that development is centered around the HOTWORX Burn Off App, which connects members with training, information and studio services. TrainingTRAX is an AI-powered personal training system designed to create customized 90-day training plans incorporating infrared sauna workouts and FX Zone resistance training. The objective is to give members a more personalized roadmap for progressing through their workouts. HOTWORX has also introduced SCAN24/7, which allows members to purchase pro shop merchandise through the app, and INFO ZONE, a 24/7 digital resource covering infrared exercise, recovery, nutrition and performance.

An AI Coach Chat provides additional on-demand guidance, while the proprietary Burn Rate™ algorithm is designed to track a member's fitness trajectory based on calorie-burning efficiency over time. HOTWORX has also introduced an updated Silent Trainer experience for functional training in the FX Zone.

Together, these technologies are designed to make a 24-hour HOTWORX studio increasingly self-directed for members while helping franchise owners operate efficiently.

HOTWORX Franchise Growth...

The growth of more than 900 HOTWORX locations has also created increasing interest in the HOTWORX franchise opportunity. The company's franchise model combines a relatively compact studio footprint with virtual instruction, 24-hour access and technology designed to reduce the need for traditional staffing levels.

The fact that many franchisees started as HOTWORX members is an important part of the company's development story. Organic growth like that is always preferred. Members who experience the workouts firsthand can develop an understanding of the product, the member journey, and the studio model before transitioning into ownership.

For prospective franchise owners, the continued expansion of infrared fitness represents an opportunity to participate in a fitness category that combines technology, wellness and short-format exercise. Thus, the company motto: MORE WORKOUT, LESS TIME.

HOTWORX Expands Into Alaska and International Markets…

HOTWORX continued expanding its geographic footprint in 2026 with its first entry into Alaska. A four-studio development agreement led by franchisees Tracey Pidge and Ciara Boyce brought the brand into the state, with the first Alaska HOTWORX studio opening in Wasilla in August.

The Alaska opening adds another market to a HOTWORX footprint that already extends throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East. Mexico and Kenya are also part of the company's development pipeline. The geographic expansion illustrates how the HOTWORX model can be adapted to different markets while maintaining the same fundamental combination of infrared exercise, virtual instruction and 24-hour fitness access.

Recognition for the HOTWORX Brand…

HOTWORX's rapid growth has also resulted in national recognition. In 2026, the brand reached No. 58 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®, improving from No. 95 in 2025. HOTWORX was also recognized as the No. 3 fitness franchise and the top-ranked boutique fitness brand in Entrepreneur's inaugural Top 10 Industry Franchise Rankings. The company also debuted on the Inc. 5000 list at No. 4,100, recognizing its growth among America's fastest-growing private companies.

From 900 HOTWORX Locations to 1,000…

Surpassing 900 HOTWORX locations represents an important milestone, but the company is already focused on the next number: 1,000.

The company has opened a new state, launched the biggest technology upgrade in our history and climbed nearly 40 spots on the Franchise 500, and we still have a quarter of the year in front of us. The goal is no longer to prove that infrared fitness belongs in the conversation; we've done that. Now the franchise looks to define the category outright.

The path from the first HOTWORX studio in 2017 to more than 900 locations demonstrates the growing visibility of infrared fitness and infrared sauna workouts within the broader fitness industry. As the company approaches 1,000 studios and continues developing new technology, markets and franchise opportunities, HOTWORX is positioning itself around a simple proposition: make fitness fast, more convenient, more accessible and easier to repeat.

For consumers searching for infrared sauna workouts, infrared fitness near me, or a convenient 24-hour workout option, HOTWORX offers a distinctive approach that combines infrared heat, exercise and virtual coaching. For entrepreneurs researching a HOTWORX franchise, the brand's expansion to more than 900 locations provides a growing example of how the company created a new fitness genre and how infrared fitness is evolving from an emerging concept into an established boutique fitness category.

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