BODY20

What BODY20 does

Body20, legally Body20 Global (Pty) Ltd, is a South African privately-held fitness franchise founded in 2013 by Bertus Albertse that operates a network of 50+ boutique studios delivering Electro Muscular Stimulation (EMS) training. The core technology consists of electrode bodysuits that deliver electrical impulses to major muscle groups during 20-minute sessions, claimed to be equivalent to roughly four hours of conventional gym training by activating both slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibres. The product portfolio is organised into three EMS modalities — Body20 Strength (muscle building), Body20 Cardio (calorie burning), and Body20 Relax / Relax20 (recovery and pain management) — complemented by a holistic stack that includes InBody bioelectrical impedance body composition assessments, the proprietary FitTrac progression tracking programme, Nutrition Doctor consultations, and Cellulite Reduction add-on sessions.

The business model is a dual-revenue franchise architecture. At the consumer level, members subscribe via monthly debit order across three tiers — Lifestyle (one weekly session credit), Lifestyle Plus (six monthly tokens), and Transformation (two weekly tokens) — on 12 or 24-month contracts with 30% cancellation penalties, plus non-refundable joining fees covering a training garment, optional top-up sessions, and three-year vouchers. At the B2B level, franchisees operate studios under standardised formats ranging from 30 sqm express to 120 sqm flagship, supported by head office training, location assistance, CRM tooling (OCTIV/BoxChamp), and Garmin device integration. The company markets through content/SEO, paid search remarketing, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), email, and franchise discovery sessions, targeting time-pressed professionals, general fitness seekers, athletes, and body-transformation-focused consumers.

Name

BODY20

Legal name

Body20 Global (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://body20.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Body20 is a South African EMS fitness franchise operating 50+ studios that deliver 20-minute electro-muscular stimulation training sessions, combined with body composition tracking and nutrition coaching, targeting time-pressed professionals and fitness seekers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique EMS Fitness Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual) (HSADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small-Group Personal Training (Semi-Private) (HSADAAAN), Mind-Body Wellness Coaching (Holistic/Integrative) (HSADAGAG)

Keywords

• EMS fitness training
• Electro muscular stimulation
• Boutique fitness studio
• Wellness membership
• Fitness franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Bryanston

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. EMS Training Memberships: Monthly subscription-based memberships providing access to EMS training sessions at Body20 studios. Includes various package tiers (Lifestyle, Lifestyle Plus, Transformation) with different session credit allocations. Revenue generated through recurring monthly debit order payments.
2. Joining Fees: One-time joining fees collected from new members, which include a training garment. Non-refundable upon cancellation.
3. Top-up EMS Sessions: Members can purchase additional EMS sessions at pro-rata fees based on their selected membership package cost per session.
4. Vouchers: Prepaid session vouchers available for purchase, valid for 3 years from date of purchase. Redeemable at participating Body20 studios on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BODY20 operates boutique fitness studios delivering Electro Muscular Stimulation (EMS) training through electrode bodysuits in 20-minute personal training sessions, claimed to be equivalent to approximately four hours of conventional gym workouts. The studio offerings include Body20 Strength, Body20 Cardio, and Body20 Relax programmes, alongside the proprietary FitTrac wellness tracking system, InBody body composition assessments, and Nutrition Doctor consultations, sold primarily through tiered monthly subscription memberships.

Product overview

Body20 is a boutique EMS (Electro Muscular Stimulation) fitness studio chain offering a unified training platform centered on 20-minute electrical muscle stimulation sessions. The core offering comprises three EMS training programmes: Body20 Strength for muscle building, Body20 Cardio for calorie burning, and Body20 Relax (Relax20) for recovery. These are complemented by a Cellulite Reduction Sessions module targeting stubborn fat. The platform integrates assessment tools (InBody Assessment) for body composition tracking, the proprietary FitTrac Programme for holistic progression monitoring, and a Nutrition Doctor Service for dietary guidance. Members access all services through membership tiers (Lifestyle, Lifestyle Plus, Transformation) that include weekly EMS training credits and InBody assessments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Body20 Strength: EMS strength training programme targeting muscle building and physical strength.
• Body20 Cardio
• Body20 Relax
• Relax20
• FitTrac
• FitTrac Programme

Products and services

• Body20 Strength EMS strength training program where electrical impulses stimulate muscle contractions during 20-minute sessions to build strength and muscle mass for Body20 members.
• Body20 Cardio EMS cardio training program that elevates heart rate and burns calories using electrical muscle stimulation during 20-minute sessions for Body20 members.
• Body20 Relax (Relax20) EMS relaxation and recovery sessions using low-frequency electrical currents to increase circulation, reduce swelling, and accelerate healing for injured or atrophied muscles.
• Body20 EMS Technology Training Electro Muscular Stimulation training using electrode bodysuits to deliver electrical impulses that activate both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers for efficient full-body 20-minute workouts at Body20 studios.
• Cellulite Reduction Sessions EMS training program targeting stubborn fat tissues to visibly reduce the appearance of cellulites through lower impulse settings and steady-state cardio workouts.
• InBody Assessment Express body composition assessment tool that tracks performance and monitors progression using metrics including weight, BMI, body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, and biometric information for Body20 members.
• Nutrition Doctor Service Professional nutritional support including personalised eating plans, meal recommendations, and supplementation expertise provided by nutrition doctors to complement EMS training.
• FitTrac Programme Proprietary holistic wellness system that tracks member progression, provides fitness evaluations, and integrates nutritional support with EMS training for comprehensive health management.
• Body20 Franchise Opportunity Franchise license for entrepreneurs to own and operate Body20-branded EMS training studios, with comprehensive support system, training academy, prime location assistance, and CRM tools from Head Office.

Quantifiable outcome

• One 20-minute EMS session equals approximately 4 hours of conventional gym workouts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CHOC (Children's Cancer Foundation)minorOthers · 1 April 2026Body20 Cares promotion running from April to May 2026 donates 50% of joining fees to CHOC, a children's cancer foundation. New members signing up during the promotional period contribute to this charitable cause.
• FASA (Franchise Association of South Africa)coreOthersBody20 Global is a member of the Franchise Association of South Africa. FASA membership indicates adherence to franchise industry codes of conduct and standards.
• NedbankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNedbank is shown as a partner/logo on Body20's website footer, suggesting a banking or promotional partnership relationship.
• October HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOctober Health is shown as a partner/logo on Body20's website footer, suggesting a health-related promotional partnership.
• GarmincoreTechnology or IntegrationBody20's 20-minute EMS training sessions are paired with Garmin's advanced health and fitness tracking technology. This integration allows South African members to combine EMS training data with Garmin health metrics for comprehensive fitness tracking.
• OCTIV (BoxChamp)coreTechnology or IntegrationBody20 uses OCTIV/BoxChamp platform for their branded mobile application. The app is available on iOS and Android app stores and allows members to book sessions and manage their fitness journey.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Orangetheory Fitness: Global boutique fitness franchise built around time-efficient, data-tracked interval workouts. Comparable to Body20 on the time-pressed-professional customer, premium subscription pricing, and centralized technology stack.
• Planet Fitness South Africa: Low-cost gym operator with broad South African footprint competing for budget-conscious fitness consumers. Relevant incumbent comparable on geography and category rather than on EMS specialty.
• Virgin Active South Africa: The largest premium commercial gym chain in South Africa. Not an EMS specialist, but the most relevant large-scale incumbent competing for the same fitness-discretionary consumer in the same South African market.
• Barry's Bootcamp: Premium boutique fitness brand offering short, instructor-led workouts. Comparable to Body20 on premium pricing, short-duration positioning, and the membership-driven boutique-studio model.
• F45 Training: Global franchise built on short, results-focused group workouts. Comparable to Body20 on franchise-driven unit economics, short-duration training positioning, and consumer overlap with time-pressed professionals.

Emerging players

• WHOOP: Recovery-and-performance wearable brand increasingly intersecting with EMS/recovery studios. Comparable on the data-driven wellness and recovery positioning Body20 is targeting through Body20 Relax and Garmin integration.

Direct peers

• Miha Bodytec: One of the original EMS training equipment manufacturers and the most globally established EMS studio concept. Directly comparable to Body20 in the core EMS-based personal training methodology, with a global partner-studio network.
• EMS Fitness (i-motion): European EMS studio franchise using 20-minute electrical muscle stimulation training. Directly comparable concept-level competitor with comparable unit economics, pricing structure, and time-efficiency positioning.
• XBody: EMS equipment manufacturer and training-concept licensor competing directly with Body20's underlying technology stack. Operates its own global partner-studio network and is a key alternative for any entrepreneur evaluating EMS franchises.

Others

• Garmin (Wellness Integration): An existing Body20 partner and infrastructure provider of health/fitness tracking technology. Included as a thematic ecosystem peer given the integrated tracking-and-training story central to Body20's value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOHummngL7PRRshxEw6F9WA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/body20studio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/body20-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/body20studio
• TikToktiktok.com/@body20.global
• Xx.com/body20studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BODY20