Picture an early morning in the park. Breath in the air. Frost on the grass. A small group arrives, layers zipped, eyes still waking up. You lead the first warmup. Someone laughs at the steam rising from their mouth. Ten minutes later the group is moving as one. That feeling is why Cardio Plein Air exists.
We did not start in a boardroom. We started outside.
How it began, and why it stayed simple
In 2000 the idea was clear. Train outside. Together. Make it safe, structured, and welcoming for every level. By 2002 we incorporated Cardio Plein Air and opened six parks around Montréal. Soon 300 people were showing up. Parents pushed strollers. Runners found a crew. Newcomers who hated gyms discovered they did not hate movement. They just needed sky.
Coaches like you built this. You tested class formats. You learned how to turn a path, a hill, a bench into training tools. You kept people coming back in January and in July because you made the outdoors feel possible.
What grew from that simple start
Franchises launched. Programs multiplied. Communities formed around local leaders who knew their parks and their people. We made mistakes. We learned. We wrote playbooks. We painted the brand on windbreakers and on habits. We put structure behind heart so coaches could focus on people, not paperwork.
The milestones matter because they show a pattern. They show a network that lasts.
Cardio Plein Air is acquired by LEVO Investissement to accelerate the next phase. The goal is growth with discipline. More coaches leading more communities.
Finalist, Franchisor of the Year. A nod to standards and consistency.
Finalist again, and one of our franchisees wins Franchisee of the Year, Young Entrepreneur under 40. Proof that new leaders can rise fast when the system lifts them.
Expansion into Ontario. Outdoor Fitness carries the same DNA across the border with tools adapted to local realities.
Expansion into France. First French franchise set to open in spring 2026. Same spirit. New parks. New voices.
What this means if you are a coach today
You already know how to lead a group. You know how to read faces at minute seven and at minute twenty-seven. You know when to change the drill and when to say one more set. You know community is not an app. It is eye contact, names learned, small wins repeated.
Here is what our story offers you.
A method that works in real weather. You will not guess with a forecast. You will use clear protocols that protect safety and momentum.
Programs that keep variety without chaos. You will never stare at a blank page the night before class.
Tools that take weight off your shoulders. Booking, payments, scheduling, templates, simple dashboards. You will spend your energy on people.
A network that answers the hard moments. Launch nerves. First cancellations. First hire. Slow week in March. You will not be the first to live it, and you will not handle it alone.
The feeling we protect
When a group finishes class and lingers. When two clients who never met decide to walk back together. When someone sends you a message that says, “I almost did not come and now I am glad I did.” That is the core product. Not the logo. Not the form. The feeling.
We built structure so that feeling happens more often and in more places. The structure is not the star. You are.
Why Ontario and why now
Ontario is full of parks that already belong to communities. Dog walkers, parents, runners, newcomers, seniors. Outdoor Fitness brings the Cardio Plein Air way across the border with a clear promise. Same method. Same standards. Same care for coaches. Adapted to your city, your climate, your schedule.
If you want to start part-time, we show you how to protect a few evenings and a Saturday morning and make them count. If you are ready to go full-time, we help you build a week that can carry a life.
What comes next for you
Read our week-in-the-life article. Read how we handle weather. Read the five fears that stop people and how to move through them. Then ask the real question.
Can I see myself leading outside, here, for the next three to five years
If the answer is yes or almost yes, the next step is simple. Tell us your city, your current week, and how much of it you can protect. We will map a version of this story with your name inside it.
The sky is the ceiling. The park is the room. The group is the engine. You are the difference.
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