top of page

How to Scale Your Parkour Gym from One Class at a Time to Multiple Simultaneous Classes


For parkour gym owners looking to increase their revenue ceiling, there’s a pivotal shift that transforms a gym from a small operation into a scalable business model: hosting multiple classes at the same time.


When a gym only runs one class per hour, its income is bottlenecked. To compensate, gyms often feel pressured to charge premium rates per student, which can make customer acquisition harder.

how parkour classes can run multiple classes each hour

However, by learning how to safely and effectively run two, three, or even more classes concurrently, a gym can multiply its student throughput per hour and open the door to a more sustainable, profitable business model.


Here’s how Parkour Gyms go from One Class at a Time to Multiple Simultaneous Classes


1. Designing “Coaching Zones” in Your Gym Layout

The foundation of simultaneous classes starts with creating clearly defined coaching zones in your gym. A coaching zone is a section of the training space dedicated to one class and one coach. Each zone should be large enough to comfortably host a group of 10-15 students, typically around 1,000 square feet per zone.

Key Considerations:

  • Safe Access Pathways: Ensure that walkways allow kids to move between zones, to bathrooms, drinking fountains, and parent viewing areas without crossing through other active class zones. Your goal is to prevent “class interference,” where students from one class must cut through another to navigate the gym.

  • Visual Separation: Use railings, low walls, tape lines, or soft dividers to make zones visually distinct. This helps coaches maintain control over their group’s boundaries.

  • Noise Management: While you won’t achieve silence, orient zones to minimize auditory overlap between coaches. Use sound-dampening panels if your ceiling height allows.

2. Equipping Each Coaching Zone for Independence

Running multiple classes only works if each coach has what they need to teach without constantly swapping equipment. You need to balance portable, shareable equipment and stationary essentials.

Must-Have Portable Equipment:

  • Vaulting Blocks

  • Balance Rails

  • Precision Jumping & Landing Targets

These items are easy to move and should be in ample supply so they can be shifted between zones as needed.

Non-Negotiable Stationary Equipment:

  • Tall Walls

  • Large Platforms

  • Rail Scaffolding Rigs

These heavy or complex structures should exist in every coaching zone. Requiring coaches to move or reconfigure them between classes will create delays and safety risks. Your gym’s layout should accommodate permanent fixtures that serve each zone equally. Best practice here is for each zone to be equipped to teach the entire curriculum. When done right, there wont be a need to rotate classes carfully or have coaches argue over equipment.

3. Scaling Through Coach Development

All the space and equipment in the world won’t matter if you don’t have coaches who can independently manage their own classes. Coach autonomy is critical for multi-class operations.


Coach Capacity Guidelines:

  • Novice Coach: Capable of leading classes of 6-8 students.

  • Intermediate Coach: Confidently manages 8-10 students.

  • Experienced Coach: Can handle 12-16 students effectively.

  • Master Coach: Can run workshops of 30+ students with assistant coaches.


Your staffing plan must include a clear coaching development pathway. Use internal certifications, shadowing opportunities, and incremental increases in class size responsibilities to build their competence.


Utilizing Shared Warm-Ups and Group Activities

One of the most effective strategies to manage multiple classes is to combine groups for sections of class that don’t require individualized attention. At the beginning of class, it’s highly efficient to run a shared warm-up. A single coach can lead all groups through dynamic stretches, mobility drills, and light movement sequences while the other coaches monitor, organize equipment, or prepare for the next phase of class.


After the warm-up, the coaches split their respective student cohorts and guide them to their designated coaching zones for skill work or drills specific to their class level.

The same principle applies to conditioning routines or large-scale games. During certain class periods, it can be advantageous to gather all students together for a full-gym activity, especially for high-energy games or circuit-based strength training. This not only creates a fun, unified community moment but also frees up coaches for a few minutes to reset obstacles, check on gym logistics, or even take a short breather if needed.


When implemented with intent, these shared segments maximize coaching efficiency and reduce stress on individual instructors while still delivering a structured and high-quality experience for students.


Emergency Coverage Protocol

In a multi-class setup, it’s essential to have a protocol for disruptions. If a student gets injured or a behavioral issue arises, the affected coach must step away temporarily. There are two primary solutions:

  1. Floating Assistant Coach: This coach patrols the entire gym, ready to step in when needed.


  2. Class Merging Contingency: Train all coaches to understand that classes may combine temporarily when emergencies occur. Coaches should be capable of merging two groups safely and managing a larger class size for a short time.


Both methods require ongoing training so that staff know exactly how to react under pressure, ensuring that student safety and class quality are never compromised.

Why This Model Raises Your Revenue Ceiling

When executed correctly, running multiple simultaneous classes allows your gym to:

  • Double or triple student throughput per hour, drastically increasing your revenue capacity without needing to expand your facility size.

Maintain comparatively lower pricing for families, as higher throughput offsets the need for premium pricing. Don't get us wrong, though, your parkour gym memberships should still be priced for value and not priced to be the cheapest in town.

  • Boost staff career opportunities, as coaches can ascend in responsibility and pay as they master larger class sizes.

Comments


bottom of page