Singapore’s fitness industry is moving quickly to win over thousands of customers left without a gym after True Fitness, True Yoga and affiliated brands abruptly shut down operations.
Rival fitness operators have rolled out a range of incentives, from waived joining fees and free membership periods to complimentary training sessions, as former True Group members search for new places to work out.
The sudden closure has left customers facing uncertainty over unused memberships, prepaid packages and personal training credits.
Gyms offer free memberships and classes
Several Anytime Fitness outlets have launched promotions specifically targeting former True Fitness, True Yoga and TFX members.
Memberships are being advertised from $99 a month, with eligible former True Group customers able to have their first month’s membership fee waived.
Snap Fitness outlets in Potong Pasir, Buangkok and West Mall are also offering affected members waived sign-up fees and their first 30 days of membership free.
Other operators are taking a more class-focused approach.
REVL Training’s Potong Pasir outlet is offering free classes, while NOVA Training is giving affected True Fitness members a complimentary session.
Muay Champ Fitness has gone further by offering two weeks of free coached training, along with a membership-credit matching arrangement that allows former True Fitness customers to convert unused credits into equivalent credits at the new gym.
BFT Bugis has announced a similar credit-matching offer for affected members.
The promotions come as fitness operators recognise an opportunity to attract customers who already have established exercise routines but suddenly lost access to their gyms.
True Group’s sudden shutdown
True Fitness, True Yoga, TFX and Yoga Edition ceased operations in Singapore after their Hong Kong parent company, Kontafarma, announced on Sept 10 that it was winding up the businesses.
The company cited intense market competition and cost pressures.
Together, the brands operated seven outlets in Singapore.
The shutdown came as a shock to both customers and employees, with some workers reportedly receiving notice only shortly before the closures took effect.
For members, the biggest concern is now whether they will recover money paid for memberships, packages and services that they can no longer use.
As of Sept 11, consumers had reported more than $609,000 in losses involving unused memberships and packages.
The figure underscores the scale of the problem facing customers who prepaid for services that are now unavailable.
Members left with more questions than answers
Some former True Fitness customers had paid thousands of dollars for long-term or lifetime memberships.
Others had recently purchased annual memberships, personal training packages or classes.
With the company’s operations halted, many are now trying to determine whether any portion of those payments can be recovered.
The situation has also disrupted established exercise routines.
For some members, the gym was not simply a place to exercise but part of their weekly routine, social circle and lifestyle.
That has created a ready market for rival operators, particularly those located near former True Group outlets.
More than customers are affected
The fallout extends beyond gym members.
More than 200 former True Fitness and True Yoga employees and freelancers have sought help finding new jobs following the shutdown.
Industry groups are working with employment organisations and fitness operators to connect affected trainers and staff with potential employers.
Several gyms have already expressed interest in hiring former True Group workers, while some industry bodies are exploring retraining and job-matching support.
The abrupt closure therefore represents a significant shake-up for Singapore’s fitness industry, affecting consumers, trainers and other workers at the same time.
A familiar warning for Singapore’s gym industry
The collapse also recalls previous upheaval in Singapore’s fitness sector, where large gym chains have struggled with high operating costs, changing consumer preferences and the financial burden of long-term membership models.
The current shutdown comes at a time when boutique studios, specialised training centres and smaller fitness concepts are competing alongside traditional full-service gyms.
For customers, the immediate priority is finding a replacement without committing to another expensive long-term package before understanding the risks.
For rival operators, however, the sudden disappearance of one of Singapore’s established fitness groups has created a rare opportunity to capture a large pool of customers almost overnight.
What began as a sudden corporate shutdown is therefore quickly becoming a major battle for Singapore’s gym-goers — with competing fitness chains offering free classes, waived fees and other incentives to convince former True members to make the switch.
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