Ohm Fitness looks to enter Sacramento market

A fitness franchise offering a unique way to stimulate muscles is looking to enter the greater Sacramento market in the coming years.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Ohm Fitness is a new franchise that wants to expand its footprint after opening its first studio in June.

What makes Ohm Fitness unique is its use of electrical muscle stimulation, or EMS. Class participants wear a proprietary wireless EMS suit during group workouts, each equipped with 30 pads that communicate directly to the muscle through the skin, delivering pulses that cause the muscles to flex.

Ohm Fitness CEO Doug Payne said the benefit of the EMS suit is that users can receive the results of a high-intensity workout in less time through low-impact interval training, resulting in less wear and tear on joints, ligaments and muscles. Ohm Fitness holds over a dozen group interval training sessions a day, each lasting 25 minutes.

Payne said EMS technology has been around since the 1960s, but it wasn't until recently that advances in technology allowed for a wireless suit. Prior to that, other concepts that utilized EMS technology were wired and formatted more around one-on-one workouts.

Individuals with a pacemaker and pregnant women are not eligible to participate. Payne said all other members are advised to be mindful of participating and to speak with a physician if at risk of complications.

The fitness concept currently has 35 locations in the pipeline in Arizona and is in the process of finding franchisees to expand into California. Payne, who has a background working with franchises such as Orangetheory Fitness, European Wax Center and Massage Envy, said he's familiar with the greater Sacramento market and has learned that the local population responds favorably to health and wellness concepts.

"We've been involved in a lot of other similar concepts and know that footprint works well in the Sacramento market, so we are sticking to that recipe," Payne said. "We believe we could add 10 locations in that market, and probably another two to three in the outlying areas as the brand develops. We see it as a key market."

Payne said the franchise would like to open the area locations within the next three to five years. A typical Ohm Fitness location employs up to 12 people.

When considering potential locations, the franchise looks for shopping centers that include businesses that meet daily needs such as grocers, nail salons and other health and wellness services, Payne said. Unlike other gyms that require more space for equipment, Ohm Fitness can operate out of spaces of 2,500 square feet or less.

Ohm Fitness is looking for franchisees in the Sacramento area. Payne said the franchise is looking for people with entrepreneurial experience and a net worth that could support future growth. He said the cost of investment for a franchise ranges from $100,000 to $300,000.

Memberships at Ohm Fitness range in cost depending on the number of classes, from $90 per month for four classes to $360 per month for 20 sessions. Customers can use suits provided by Ohm Fitness or purchase their own for $299.