clever fit Melle in Lower Saxony, Germany, has been training collar free with Gungnir bars since 2025. Now clever fit Switzerland is adding two more clubs, with Gungnir bars coming to Basel and Mels. clever fit Switzerland runs more than 20 clubs across the country, built around large training floors, top equipment brands and long opening hours.
One of Europe's largest fitness franchises
clever fit started as a single pilot studio in Munich in 2004 and began franchising in 2007. Today it is the largest fitness franchise in the German speaking region, with more than 500 studios and around one million members across seven European countries. In November 2025 Basic-Fit completed its acquisition of clever fit for €160 million, creating a group of more than 2,150 clubs in 12 countries and making it the market leader in Germany.
Switzerland has grown quickly since the first Swiss studio opened in Schaffhausen in 2017. clever fit Switzerland now runs 23 studios with more than 300 employees, and moved into French speaking Switzerland with Fribourg in 2025.
Why clever fit chose Gungnir
For Leo Jung, COO of clever fit Switzerland, the decision came down to quality and how the bars work in a busy club every day.
“We chose Gungnir bars because of their high quality, ease of use and practical benefits. Overall, the combination of quality, time savings and improved organisation was the key reason for our decision.”
Loose collars are one of the most common sources of clutter on a gym floor, and one of the first things to go missing. At clever fit, taking them out of the equation has made a visible difference.
“The integrated locking system eliminates loose collars, keeping our gyms tidier and more organised. It also makes training more efficient, as members can secure weight plates quickly and easily.”
For members, that means less time hunting for collars and more time training. For staff, it means one less thing to replace and tidy away at the end of the day.
Basel and Mels are the newest additions
With their Gungnir bars on the way, Basel and Mels will join Melle as clever fit clubs in two countries that have chosen to train without collars. We look forward to seeing both Swiss clubs on the collar free map.
Want to see how your gym could go collar free? Get in touch at gungnirofnorway.com/pages/gyms.
