How Group Training Creates Tribes and Builds Retention

Creating an environment based on shared goals and a sense of community keeps members engaged and excited

The word “tribal” comes from the Latin word tribus and has a long history. It’s been used in biblical texts, to define voting categories in ancient Rome, and to describe concepts like lineage and race starting in the 16th century. Today, the term signifies having a strong sense of fierce loyalty to a group, party, or tribe.

From a training standpoint, “tribal” has a couple of different but related meanings. According to Ellen de Werd, owner of the WARRIOR Instructor Academy, “‘tribal’ group training differs from standard group training. Once a group takes on a tribe-like quality, it develops its own identity, much like a family, with shared history, language, and culture.”

With standard group training, she adds, members are often isolated. "In a tribal group training experience, however, members feel vitally important. They feel connected to the other members in a meaningful way. They possess a sense of pride and ownership in the program and are motivated to see it succeed. They belong and they know it."

Orangetheory Chief Operating Officer J.J. Creegan agrees, saying, “It’s an environment that fosters a strong sense of belonging and shared purpose.”

In short, a group that consistently trains together, striving for community goals with a level of internal competition—a tribal group—creates a much stronger bond than a standard group training class, which might have revolving members and trainers.

Second

A strong, engaged community significantly affects member retention and enthusiasm.

Data-Backed Group Benefits

The camaraderie of tribal training provides significant mental and emotional benefits backed by data.

"When you work out with tribal members in group classes, you have fun, get to interact with like-minded people, work out, and achieve group and individual fitness goals,” says Ahmar Azam, CEO of the Pakistan-based TriFit chain. “As a result, the brain releases chemicals closely associated with happiness and emotional well-being: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins.”

Creegan says: “Participating in a tribal, or what we call community-based, workout offers a unique range of benefits. Studies suggest that working out in a group can boost motivation, increase accountability, and provide emotional support. One cannot downplay the emotional benefit of pushing oneself within a group of others toward similar goals. In an Orangetheory class, these benefits are amplified by the encouragement of our certified coaches and the camaraderie of other members. The result is improved physical fitness, stronger mental resilience, and a deeper connection to the people around them.”

Drill deeper, and you’ll find that the social aspects and retention benefits of group training have long been quantified and are backed by data.

"What our findings show is that we really are social animals when it comes to working out,” relates Les Mills Head of Research Bryce Hastings. “When you maximize the group effect, this leads to a high level of what we’ve termed ‘groupness.’ And the higher the level of groupness, the more we see increases in a person’s enjoyment, satisfaction, and exertion.”

In Les Mills’ research, the groupness factor was also cited as an influence on member retention. Their data shows that group exercisers are 26% less likely to cancel memberships than gym-only members.

To Hastings’ point, de Werd references research dating as far back as 1984 that shows that “such feelings reflect a construct termed groupness, which is the extent to which members of a collective perceive that they belong to a group and rely on fellow members, as well as the degree to which members interact to form a social structure” (“Groups: Interaction and Performance,” Prentice-Hall, 1984; “Groupness and Adherence in Structured Exercise Settings,” Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2010).

"Participants in ‘true groups’ felt more intrinsically motivated to engage in high-intensity exercise,” note the authors of “Perceptions of Groupness During Fitness Classes Positively Predict Recalled Perceptions of Exertion, Enjoyment, and Affective Valence: An Intensive Longitudinal Investigation,” a 2016 piece in The National Library of Medicine.

In fact, the number-one reason for joining a club is socialization, defined as an opportunity to interact with other members, according to researchers Sean Mullen and Diane Whaley in the 2010 International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology article, “Age, Gender, and Fitness Club Membership: Factors Related to Initial Involvement and Sustained Participation.”

Group settings feel more authentic when they entail a collective identity, a shared sense of purpose, group structure, and interdependence among members, according to the 2017 Perspectives on Psychological Science article “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Work Groups and Teams.” Is there a more perfect characterization of a tribal group environment?

Most importantly, says de Werd, “Tribes build retention and are incredibly ‘sticky’ when the members do not want to disappoint the team or miss out on the fun. Tribes also attract others by creating FOMO (fear of missing out), they appeal to our innate desire to belong and feel part of something bigger than ourselves, and they provide the ultimate accountability where no one is anonymous.”

Third

Tribal fitness offers an environment that, by its nature, builds on itself.

The Well-Being Component

Post-pandemic, more members seek to balance their lives and avoid illness. Tribal training aligns seamlessly with this holistic approach.

“We know that people want to live long, happy, pain-free, fulfilling lives,” de Werd says. “They want to laugh, love, feel connected, and have more energy. Getting a good workout is only a small part of that. General well-being transcends the mere physical and emphasizes quality of life. Creating a tribe culture centered around well-being is the best incentive. And prioritizing well-being is the superpower of a program."

If anything, tribal fitness plays into an overall lifestyle.

"Well-being doesn’t just mean good physical fitness," states Azam. “It includes mental well-being, healthy eating habits, and all other healthy lifestyle components. It also means having fun while hitting fitness goals. And when you do it with like-minded friends, you either build your own tribe or join a tribe."

In fact, says Creegan, "well-being is central to why people stick with community-based fitness. When members feel supported physically and mentally, they’re more likely to keep showing up, challenge themselves, and connect with others. People find more than just a workout in classes where well-being is a focus. They find a place to recharge, connect, and feel part of something bigger. This shared focus on health naturally builds a strong community where members motivate each other to stay on track."

Tribal Building Blocks

In terms of creating tribes, Azam says, “It starts with fun, member interaction, sense of belonging, and achieving fitness goals. It’s in our hashtag: #PuttingFunBackInFitness. As operators build their own secret sauce, they must keep those four elements at the forefront.”

Building a fitness community takes consistency and intention, Creegan says.

"At Orangetheory, we focus on creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where members feel supported by both the coaches and each other," he explains. "Our signature events, like DriTri, bring members from all walks of life together to challenge themselves and celebrate their progress in a group setting. Community activations, from charity fundraisers to local events, also play a big part in fostering this sense of belonging—members feel connected not just to their fitness goals but to each other and the community around them."

Coaches are central to Orangetheory’s approach, Creegan asserts, engaging with members in a way that celebrates individual progress while bringing people together. For other operators looking to build community, it’s important to focus on authentic connections, create opportunities for recognition, and offer tools like performance tracking that allow members to see and celebrate both their own achievements and the group’s success as a whole.

Regarding group-building nuts and bolts, de Werd offers some key tactics:

• Brand the program with specific colors, fonts, logos, etc.
• Create memories and experiences outside of the group training environment (e.g., a team hike or dinner)
• Utilize a private Facebook group
• Generate unique marketing materials and use real photos of the team smiling and training (not stock images)
• Make team swag and apparel for members to wear

Closing the Loop

The point? Tribal fitness offers an environment that, by its nature, builds on itself.

"A strong, engaged community significantly affects member retention and enthusiasm. When people feel connected to others with shared goals, it creates a positive feedback loop of support and accountability,” Creegan says. “There’s nothing like a coach or fellow member checking in to ask where you were for your usual 5 a.m. workout because it shows that others genuinely care about your progress. This sense of belonging often motivates members to return consistently, as they feel encouraged by both their peers and the shared experience. Ultimately, a strong community can transform fitness from a routine to a meaningful lifestyle commitment."

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Club Business International. View the full digital version of the issue online.

Jon Feld

Jon Feld is a contributor to healthandfitness.org.