You’re totally right that gyms aren’t fully the answer, though– and while the 10% number of Americans using the gym might be a little off (it’s probably 15-20% belong to some sort of gym member, regular boutique class attendee, CrossFitter, etc…), it’s nonetheless small. I definitely think the innovation we need now happens outside of the gym– or, as you put so awesomely, a profound transformation of what a “gym” means. Thanks Kevin!

Just stumbled upon this great post. I run a mobile personal training company out in LA, and a lot (if not all) the things you posted up here are things I’ve been thinking about.  Only about 20% of americans have gym memberships and considering even a smaller percentage of people use it on a regular basis you are talking about maybe 10% of americans using the gym, that’s pretty small, but also lots of room for companies to provide an experience for the other 80-90% that’s desirable.  

I think people are also looking for a more holistic take on fitness, it’s not just eating well and moving more, but having deeper social relationships, developing a sense of grit, and being able to cope with stresses of modern life.  I think companies who can integrate a strong wellness philosophy and system that gets results, offer affordable wellness coaching & learning opportunities, use technology that makes the customer experience better, cultivate member to member interactions, offer amazing unique experiences, and harness the community for good will be the future of this industry.  I think the business model will still be per member per month/annual (but I can see other ones like the Zipcar example potentially working) but I think it’ll be a lot more integrated and elegant offering that makes members better off in human terms, where they don’t mind paying a premium (but still affordable) to work out and be part of the community.  The gym is a funny thing, and in fact sometimes I’m not so sure the gym is what we need to be healthy and fit, but maybe some combination of education, safe spaces to practice and meet others (public and private), and desirable experiences that move fitness out of the vanity realm and into the vitality one. But maybe gyms are the right solution if so my hope is that the gyms of the future will transform into hubs, a warm campfire where members learn, experiment, share, connect and improve their overall well-being in personal ways.  

Would love to hear more of your ideas Derek, and thanks again for this cool post. 

And totally– different gyms for different people, maybe, but I think the key is making everyone feel comfortable. And I agree super strongly that that power rests most often in the trainers hired. Friendly, relatable, respectful trainers are really rare, honestly– and uber-luxury chains often get the pick of the most certified & professional trainer simply because they can pay the most and treat them best. That usually leaves mediocre trainers for cheaper gyms, which is where the first gym goers typically go. This sucks.

Fixing this by celebrating the community & focusing on loyalty sounds great, but is extraordinarily hard to scale. Going to think about this more, though, for sure!

That said, many of these people gushing or in love have their memberships on hold for various reasons–so they are paying monthly for the ‘privilege’ of being able to restart a membership at any time (without paying an initiation fee). ….. Maybe that’s the business model?
-Bethania

Aside from a few niche facilities (curves) I think most gyms are primarily for the already “fit-familiar” crowd. A lot of these establishments are just as much for getting in shape as they are for showing it off. That is incredibly, incredibly daunting for someone who is just starting out, and as such these places are missing out on an entire market.

I know many gyms count on the New Year resolution crowd to sign up and never come back (perhaps scared away from what I’ve mentioned above) but I would argue that with the right type of environment – the repeat and loyal members will be of more benefit. 

One of the ways to do this is, like you said, hiring the right people. Only accepting specific certifications is one way to weed out the idiots, but even more important is gauging their personality.

I don’t care if someone has a PhD in exercise phys, and is working on their dissertation in dietetics. If they can’t convey the information in a way that makes a healthy lifestyle approachable, those credentials mean nothing. 

That’s just for starters, and all would need to be discussed with more depth. I haven’t even touched directly on monetization, but establishing brand (gym) loyalty is certainly an important step.