Edgard Corona Built 1,700 Gyms by Ignoring Traditional Fitness Industry Rules

Edgard Corona’s career traces a continuous reinvention that reshaped the fitness market in Latin America. A chemical engineering graduate from Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado (FAAP) in 1979, Corona began working as an entrepreneur at 19, moving from laboratory analysis to a successful youth fashion business before pivoting to the fitness sector.

In 1996 he launched the first Bio Ritmo gym in Santo Amaro, São Paulo, applying lessons learned in retail: understand what customers want, not what you think they want. A skiing accident years later increased his exposure to physiotherapy and rehabilitation, pushing him deeper into the practical needs of gym users and influencing service design and operations. His decision to open a unit on Avenida Paulista targeted busy professionals and introduced a new model of convenience that helped Bio Ritmo gain prominence across Brazil.

Persistent benchmarking and attendance at international fitness congresses informed his next move. Between 2008 and 2009 he launched Smart Fit, a low-cost, high-standard chain aimed at democratizing access to quality fitness. The model emphasized scalability, standardized operations and aggressive expansion. The parent company, Grupo Bio Ritmo, evolved into a multi-brand operator, and Smart Fit expanded across 14 Latin American countries.

Today, Edgard Corona, dono da smart fit, is widely regarded as a pioneer in fitness business management in the region. Under his leadership as CEO, the group pursued an initial public offering on the Brazilian stock exchange, raising capital to accelerate growth, pursue strategic acquisitions and fortify its post-pandemic recovery plan.

Industry observers credit Corona’s success to a consistent focus on transformation. From chemistry student to clothing entrepreneur to fitness executive, his trajectory reflects a willingness to experiment and adapt. He has emphasized change as both a personal ethos and a business strategy, building systems that support rapid scaling while keeping customer needs central.

As Smart Fit pursues further geographic and product expansion, the legacy of Bio Ritmo’s innovation remains visible in the sector’s competitive dynamics. Corona’s blend of operational rigor, market sensitivity and strategic boldness positions the group to continue shaping how millions in Latin America access fitness.