Themed Fitness Program Design

This glossary article explores the concept of themed fitness program design, covering its benefits, uses, and practical tips. Perfect for fitness professionals and enthusiasts looking to create memorable, branded workout experiences.

Fitness is no longer just about breaking a sweat—it’s about creating an experience. Themed fitness program design is the art of crafting workout routines that go beyond physical exertion, embedding storytelling, emotion, and brand identity into every session. Whether it’s a high-energy dance class inspired by a specific era or a yoga session set in a tranquil forest theme, themed fitness programs captivate participants by engaging their minds and hearts as much as their bodies.

This approach turns workouts into memorable experiences, fostering emotional connections and encouraging long-term commitment. It’s not just about the exercises; it’s about the atmosphere, the music, the visuals, and the narrative that ties it all together.

What is Themed Fitness Program Design?

Themed fitness program design is the intentional creation of workout programs that revolve around a specific concept, story, or brand identity. These programs integrate elements like music, lighting, decor, and even costumes to immerse participants in a cohesive experience.

For example, a fitness studio might offer a “1980s Retro Fitness Night” where participants dress in neon spandex, dance to 80s hits, and use vintage-inspired equipment. Another example could be a “Tropical Escape Yoga” class, complete with palm tree decorations, island music, and scented candles to evoke a beach vibe.

Themed fitness programs are not just about aesthetics—they’re about creating a deeper connection between the participant and the workout. By tapping into emotions, memories, and aspirations, these programs make fitness feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.

Benefits of Themed Fitness Program Design

  1. Enhanced Engagement
    Themes add an element of fun and excitement, making workouts more appealing and engaging. Participants are more likely to stay motivated and committed when they look forward to the experience.

  2. Emotional Connection
    Themes evoke emotions and memories, creating a deeper connection between the participant and the program. This emotional resonance can lead to greater satisfaction and loyalty.

  3. Brand Differentiation
    For fitness studios and brands, themed programs set you apart from competitors. They showcase creativity and innovation, attracting new clients and retaining existing ones.

  4. Memorable Experiences
    Themed workouts leave a lasting impression, turning participants into advocates who share their experiences with others.

  5. Increased Creativity
    Designing themed programs encourages instructors to think outside the box, leading to fresh, innovative workout ideas.

Uses of Themed Fitness Program Design

  1. Fitness Studios
    Themed classes can become signature offerings for fitness studios, drawing in crowds and creating a buzz. Examples include holiday-themed classes, seasonal workouts, or special events.

  2. Corporate Wellness Programs
    Companies can use themed fitness programs to promote employee wellness in a fun, engaging way. For instance, a “Workplace Warrior” theme could incorporate team-building exercises and challenges.

  3. Retreats and Events
    Themed fitness programs are perfect for retreats, workshops, and events. They add an extra layer of excitement and create a cohesive experience for attendees.

  4. Virtual Fitness Platforms
    Online fitness platforms can use themes to make virtual workouts more immersive. For example, a “Virtual World Tour” series could feature workouts inspired by different countries and cultures.

Examples of Themed Fitness Programs

  1. Superhero Workout
    Participants dress as their favorite superheroes and engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) designed to make them feel strong and invincible.

  2. Glow-in-the-Dark Yoga
    This class features blacklights, neon accessories, and glow sticks, creating a fun, otherworldly atmosphere.

  3. Disney Dance Party
    Inspired by Disney movies, this dance class features iconic soundtracks and encourages participants to channel their inner princess or hero.

  4. Survivor Challenge
    Modeled after the TV show, this program includes obstacle courses, team challenges, and endurance training.

  5. Pirate Adventure Bootcamp
    Participants navigate through pirate-themed obstacles, complete challenges, and “collect treasure” as they work out.

Tips for Designing Themed Fitness Programs

  1. Know Your Audience
    Understand the preferences, interests, and fitness levels of your participants. Tailor your theme to resonate with them.

  2. Create a Storyline
    Develop a narrative that ties the theme together. For example, in a “Safari Adventure” workout, participants could “explore the jungle” while performing exercises.

  3. Incorporate Sensory Elements
    Use music, lighting, scents, and decor to enhance the theme and create a fully immersive experience.

  4. Keep It Authentic
    Ensure the theme aligns with your brand identity and values. Authenticity is key to creating meaningful connections.

  5. Promote the Experience
    Use social media, newsletters, and word-of-mouth to build excitement and attract participants.

  6. Evaluate and Adapt
    Gather feedback from participants and make adjustments to improve future programs.

Sub-Topics to Explore

  1. The Psychology of Themed Fitness
    How themes influence motivation, engagement, and behavior.

  2. Branding Through Fitness
    How themed fitness programs can reinforce brand identity and values.

  3. Technology and Themed Fitness
    The role of virtual reality, apps, and other tech in creating immersive experiences.

  4. Sustainability in Themed Fitness
    How to design eco-friendly themed programs.

Infographic Table: Key Elements of Themed Fitness Program Design

Element Purpose Examples
Narrative Ties the theme together “Pirate Adventure,” “Superhero Training”
Music Sets the mood and enhances the experience 80s hits, tropical beach tunes
Decor Creates a visually immersive environment Neon lights, palm trees, pirate props
Costumes Encourages participant involvement Superhero capes, pirate hats
Exercises Aligns with the theme and fitness goals Obstacle courses, dance routines
Sensory Details Enhances immersion (e.g., scents, lighting) Scented candles, blacklights

Themed fitness program design is a powerful tool for creating engaging, memorable workout experiences. By blending creativity, storytelling, and brand identity, you can transform ordinary fitness routines into extraordinary adventures. Whether you’re a fitness professional, a studio owner, or an enthusiast, embracing themed fitness programs can take your workouts to the next level.

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Brian Turcza

Architectural Design Director

Brian brings over 15 years of experience to DyeLot Interiors, leading complex architectural projects that bridge design vision with technical precision. He approaches each project as a dialogue between place, program, and experience, balancing clarity of concept with technical rigor. With experience spanning hospitality, multi-family residential, and adaptive reuse work, he creates environments that feel both intuitive and enduring, shaped by how people truly live, gather, and connect. His approach combines a love of craft, coordination, and context, always rooted in thoughtful, people-centered design.

Hospitality Experience:

  • The Lake Club

  • Hoxton Hotel

  • Chief Executive Club

  • 800 West Lake Street

  • Hotel Bozeman

Residential Experience:

  • The Ludlow Residences 

  • Woodview Apartments

  • No. 9 Walton Condominiums 

Emily Layton

Graphic Designer

Emily Layton is a graphic designer and creative with a BFA in Graphic Design & Digital Media with action sports emphasis from Laguna College of Art and Design. Adept at aligning brand goals across formats, market trends, and consumer behavior, she translates insights into compelling visual narratives. Her experience spans corporate decks, brand books, and apparel collections—ensuring brand consistency, clarity, and impact. She values strong creative collaboration and brings a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach to every project.

Project Experience:

  • West Creative Agency, Costa Mesa, CA
  • Huntress Decor, San Diego, CA
  • La Jolla Group - O’Neill Irvine, CA
  • Gotcha Digital Design, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Veterinary Emergency Group Various Locations
  • Nostos Grocery Store Panama City, Panama
  • Tribute Hotel Nob Hill Albuquerque, NM

Priscilla Bueno

Interior Designer

Priscilla is a Cal State Long Beach alumna with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. She has worked across residential, hospitality, nonprofit, and wellness sectors, with a focus on creating spaces that support emotional well-being and human connection.

Influenced by her interest in psychology, Priscilla approaches design with a deep understanding of how physical environments impact how we feel, behave, and connect. Her work combines material sensitivity, spatial clarity, and user-centered thinking to foster environments that help people feel grounded and safe.

From luxury spas to trauma-informed nonprofit spaces, she designs with a clear goal: to shape interiors that invite presence, foster restoration, and create a true sense of belonging.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Babyletto, Los Angeles, CA
  • Cozy Earth, Newport, CA

Jen Khor

Senior Interior Designer

With a thoughtful and intuitive approach, Jen Khor brings strong expertise in hospitality design, as well as experience in retail, F&B, and corporate offices. Her user-centric, narrative-driven philosophy reflects local culture and context, creating spaces that feel relevant and resonant.

Jen has a deep understanding of hotel brand standards and leads quality control for custom casegoods with high attention to detail. Sensitive to client needs, she communicates ideas through tools like BIM, AI, and hand sketches. Jen is passionate about crafting spaces that evoke emotion, inspire curiosity, and foster inclusivity with lasting impact.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • DoubleTree Guestroom Prototype, Various Locations
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Wild Greens, University of Arkansas, AR
  • Joybird Headquarters, Los Angeles, CA

Melissa He

Senior Interior Designer

With years of experience in working on various project types, Melissa approaches each design as a new narrative, infusing storytelling, cultural context, and personality into every space. Educated in Fine Art in China and Interior Design at Cal State Long Beach, Melissa applies a detail-driven and research-based methodology to craft spaces that are both visually compelling and deeply resonant. Her approach reflects a belief that each project offers a chance to explore new voices and challenge convention, leading to designs that not only reflect individual identities but also support the broader community. She continues to evolve her design practice through collaboration, curiosity, and purpose, seeking to create spaces that adapt, grow, and inspire meaningful engagement.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Guestroom Prototype, Various Locations
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Chris Gorney

Director of Procurement

Chris is the Senior Director of Creative Sourcing and Procurement at DyeLot. A proven industry professional, he has worked with many of the world’s largest hospitality and development companies. He can speak to the entire lifecycle of design, development, and construction as well as contribute to the minutia of bespoke fabrication and production. Using an open-book and collaborative approach, Chris has the advantage of understanding the nuances of millwork, furnishing, and custom fabrication in order to reach a true-to-concept product. He brings with him more than a decade of experience working across multiple disciplines within the design industry.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Wayfarer Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
  • The Edwin, Chattanooga, TN
  • Downtown Marriott, Des Moines, IA
  • Lincolnshire Marriott, Lincolnshire, IL
  • Capitol District Marriott, Omaha, NE
  • The Ferrier, Temecula, CA
  • The Tin Building by Jean George, New York, NY

Mathew Vo

Senior Interior Designer

As a designer with a background in both architecture and interiors, Mathew brings a layered perspective to every project. Drawing on experience across diverse project types—from hospitality and food & beverage to sports and retail—he crafts spaces that balance performance, beauty, and emotional resonance. Inspired by his interest in theater and production design, Mathew focuses on creating immersive environments that take users on a curated journey. His command of design technology and documentation tools, including BIM, allows him to navigate complex projects while staying grounded in storytelling and purpose-driven design. Mathew continues to find inspiration in context, culture, and narrative—translating them into built environments that leave a lasting impact.

Project Experience:

  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT

Ava Javaheri

Senior Interior Designer

With roots in a family of entrepreneurs and artists, Ava’s passion for hospitality design was sparked early—surrounded by showrooms and inspired styling sessions in her family’s furniture store. Today at DyeLot Interiors, she channels that lifelong aesthetic instinct into creating immersive environments that elevate the guest experience. Ava approaches hospitality interiors as both a visual narrative and an emotional journey, blending function with atmosphere in spaces meant to inspire, delight, and linger in memory. Her creative process draws on everything from global travel and museum exploration to cinematic set design, all feeding her pursuit of detail-driven, unforgettable spaces where people feel genuinely transported.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Chaya Juntara

Procurement Specialist

As a key member of DyeLot Interiors, Chaya is dedicated to collaborating with clients and vendors to deliver an exceptional experience marked by reliability, accountability, and integrity. Her primary focus is executing each project vision on time, ensuring top-tier quality, and managing the budget with precision. With deep expertise in sourcing and FF&E, Chaya brings a strong technical foundation that is essential to the creation of remarkable hospitality interiors and furnishings—the cornerstone of our procurement practice. She has worked alongside industry leaders in custom furniture, providing her with a wealth of experience. Her unique background in both interiors and procurement allows her to offer creative solutions that consistently exceed client expectations.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Cliffrose Springdale, Springdale, UT
  • Nuri Steakhouse, Dallas, TX
  • The Tin Building by Jean George, New York, NY
  • Solis Park, Irvine, CA

Adam Ford, NCIDQ

Senior Interior Project Designer

As a Senior Interior Project Designer at DyeLot, Adam leans on his expertise in interior design and theatrical storytelling to bring designs to life. Having extensive full-service and focused service hotel design experience, he is attuned to both branded work with Marriott, Hilton, and IHG and non-branded/independent projects. Adam helps create immersive and functional spaces that resonate with guests and elevate brand identities. His collaboration with hotel brands has honed his ability to blend aesthetics with practicality, ensuring seamless guest experiences and maximizing operational efficiency.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Where The Wild Greens AR, Fayetteville, AR
  • Camp Creek Golf Resort & Inn, Inlet Beach, FL
  • Hotel Cyrus, Topeka, KS
  • Delta by Marriott, Thornton Northglenn, CO
  • Tribute South Park, Austin, TX

Brittany LeBlanc, NCIDQ, CID

Senior Project Designer / Associate

With a multi-disciplinary design and architecture background, Brittany continues to create unique user experiences for diversified projects. Brittany concentrates on designing spaces that provoke interest, emotion and encourage brand longevity. After studying interior design, Brittany continues to grow and expand her knowledge of interiors and architecture by working within both disciplines. Brittany’s experience comes from a vast range of industries including hospitality, food and beverage, retail, and experiential marketing.

Project Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Maya, Long Beach, CA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • The Wilder's Lounge, Springdale, UT
  • Anu Restaurant, Springdale, UT
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Gustavo Neri

Director of Branding

Gustavo Neri serves as the Director of Branding, leading branding and signage/wayfinding campaigns for hospitality and residential projects Neri creates the narrative for a project before it begins – setting a strong aesthetic and identity for the project to ensure its message and character is carried through the life of the design process. Neri’s view of design is that it must be seen through the lens of the viewer, not the designer. One must take into account the experience of the person perceiving his work as they are guided through it, taking all elements into careful consideration and removing himself from the experience.

Project Experience:

  • Hotel Indigo, Savannah, GA
  • DoubleTree Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
  • Hotel Amarano, Burbank, CA
  • Glenmark Hotel, Glendale, CA
  • Eminence Boston Hotel, Boston, MA
  • Hilton Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Wolf and Shepherd, Manhattan, NY

Krystle Fader, NCIDQ, CID

Design Manager / Senior Associate

As a Design Manager at DyeLot Interiors, Krystle brings over 15 years of professional experience in interior and architectural design to the team. With experience in a range of markets including food & beverage, multi-family housing, hospitality, workplace and healthcare, she brings her combined knowledge from each and is able to apply that to new project opportunities. With an education in interior architectural design and a passion for efficient solutions, Krystle has been able to grow into a leadership role managing projects from design concept though completion of construction.

Project Experience:

  • Alexan Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Alexan Arcadia, Arcadia, CA
  • The Monde, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Partake Collective, Long Beach, CA
  • Port of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
  • Swing Set Productions, Long Beach, CA
  • Din Tai Fung, Various Locations
  • Fogo de Chao, Various Locations

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Alex Kuby, AIA, WELL AP

Associate Principal

Alex is a licensed architect specializing in hospitality and experiential interior design, with a foundation built on years of practice across high-end hotels, branded environments, and lifestyle-driven residential spaces. His work is grounded in architectural rigor and elevated by a narrative-driven approach that shapes immersive, memorable experiences. With a deep understanding of design theory, construction, and project execution, Alex brings a holistic, strategic lens to each project—bridging spatial storytelling with operational excellence.

Hospitality Experience:

  • Vintera Resort at Napa Creek, Napa, CA
  • Hotel De Novo - Tapestry by Hilton, Springdale, UT
  • Hotel Indigo - IHG, Los Angeles, CA
  • Grand Hyatt - Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas
  • Pullman Baotou, Baotou, China
  • Hilton Resort Wenchang, Hainan Island, China

Residential Experience:

  • Perla Luxury Condo Tower, Los Angeles, CA
  • Watermark Assited Living, Westwood, CA
  • Alexan WestEnd, Long Beach, CA

Jackson Thilenius, AIA

Senior Principal

As Senior Principal of DyeLot Interiors, Jackson operates at the intersection of strategy, design and implementation, driving innovative and authentic solutions to hospitality projects around the world. With over twenty-five years of practice in architecture and interior design, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the hospitality industry, Jackson collaborates with clients to establish project objectives which produce original designs and tailored brand positioning. Jackson has created a broad range of award-winning projects across the globe, leveraging his understanding of operational trends, local culture, and narrative-driven design.

Brand Experience:

Marriott
Hilton
Pacifica Hotels
Hyatt
Equinox
Loews Hotels
IHG
Karisma Hotels and Resorts
Oxford Capital Group
Marcus Hotels
Blackstone
Radisson Hotels
Starwood Capital