Australian infrared fitness franchise Joy in Movement, also known as JIM, has signed a major franchise agreement to enter the UK market, with plans to open100 studios across the country over the next five years.
Founded in Sydney in 2023 by fitness entrepreneur Jarad Hobbs, the company has rapidly expanded across Australia with a technology-led, instructor-free boutique fitness model centred around infrared-heated workouts. The brand currently operates 35 studios in Australia and has sold more than 70 franchise territories, according to reports published this week.
Joy in Movement expects to have 50 Australian studios operating by July 2026 as it accelerates international expansion. The UK rollout will begin with plans for 10 studios within the next year before scaling further nationwide.
The company’s concept combines 30-minute, screen-guided workouts with infrared heat and red-light therapy. Its workout formats include Sculpt, Strengthen, Stretch and Recover sessions, designed around low-impact functional movement, Pilates-inspired exercises and recovery-focused training.
Speaking about the expansion, Hobbs said the business was created to make fitness “simple, inclusive and easy to stick to,” while reducing barriers that often discourage long-term participation in fitness programs.
The franchise has positioned itself as a lower-overhead alternative to traditional boutique fitness studios. According to the company’s franchise material, JIM studios can operate in spaces as small as 50 square metres and do not require in-person coaches because sessions are fully automated through digital instruction and technology systems.
Forbes Australia reported in late 2025 that the company had grown from a single experimental heated room in Cronulla to a network spanning Australia’s east coast, with Hobbs describing the business as one of the country’s fastest-growing fitness franchise concepts.
The UK expansion comes amid continued investor interest in boutique wellness, recovery and technology-enabled fitness concepts globally, particularly those combining fitness with recovery-focused experiences such as infrared therapy and low-impact training.
