In 2019, more than 62.5 million people were gym members and only around 18% of these members actually went to the gym consistently… which only really “worked out” for the gym owners!
The Gym Membership Model is based on your failure
Many of the low-cost gyms have a capacity of around 300-400 members yet their membership numbers are up in their thousands, imagine if just half the paying members arrived – they wouldn’t be able to get in? The fact is the low-cost gym membership model is based on you never actually going to the gym.
Imagine now that you are someone who commits to turning up. Here are the top reasons traditional gyms don’t work:
1. Your flying solo
Joining a gym at the start of your weight loss journey for around £10-£15 per month, may seem like a good idea. However, training alone and trying to figure out which machine to use with no support or guidance will no doubt lead to you getting bored or injured. Without the results you want, it’s almost inevitable that you too will become a gym donor, paying your monthly membership yet you never actually go to the gym.
You see, you only pay for use of the equipment – no advice, support or expertise is given. It’s no wonder so many members fail after a month of plodding along on the treadmill.
2. There is no plan
In order to make a successful lifestyle change, you have to have a plan. So often I see people kill themselves in the first few sessions, they ache lots then they are completely put off from going. This is no way to develop a habit, you need to plan from the outset. You need to pace yourself, set goals, review them and update them.
3. Your programme is incomplete and doesn’t deliver long term results
Perhaps the gym you joined did conduct an assessment and showed you around the cardio equipment? Too many gym go-ers focus too much time on cardio and miss out on all the other vital components that make up a complete program that are necessary to deliver long term results. You need variety and recommendations in order to find the right programme for you.
4. You cut calories
Quick fix calorie cutting will no doubt see you lose weight initially, but it will be mainly water and muscle and it will slow your metabolism down only to see you gaining more weight in the long run. This all-or-nothing approach leads to a restrictive low calorie diet which doesn’t provide your body with the essential nutrients required to; maintain muscle, improve fitness, support rest and recovery.
5. No accountability
Accountability is vital when making any lifestyle change. Not having anybody to hold you accountable or to guide and coach you around any obstacles will inevitably see you fall off the wagon. After your initial assessment at the gym, you could disappear off the face of the earth for weeks on end and nobody would even realise! It’s very likely there will be no follow up meeting or catch up or check in.
6. It’s a “one size fits all’ service
When you show up for the first time, the instructors have little knowledge of your current ability or any long-standing injuries. Due to the numbers in the class, it’s likely they will fail to address individual differences or weaknesses. For example, someone with a previous shoulder injury will perform the same workout as another participant with an ankle injury. This is definitely NOT the best way to achieve your long-term goals.
So before you join a gym, think about what you want from it.
Do you want:
- An overcrowded gym
- To figure things out on your own
- No guidance
- No accountability
- No coaching
Or
Do you want:
- A private studio
- Small classes
- Guidance from a coach who understands your goals
- Accountability with a team focussed on helping you succeed
- Fitness and nutrition education
- Support with new lifestyle strategies
That’s exactly what we do at B Fit and here’s a few examples of why we are different:
1) You work with a coach at every session
Whenever you come to B Fit, you work with a coach. Taking all the guess-work away, all you have to do is turn up and think about nothing but results.
2) You will receive nutrition and lifestyle coaching
At every session our coaches will discuss your nutrition habits and offer guidance and strategies to ensure success. Exercising to lose weight without monitoring your nutrition is like taking one step forward and 2 steps back.
3) You will be kept accountable to your goals
We continuously review your progress and complete 6 weekly assessments to be sure that our members stay on track with their goals. We use food diaries and we run workshops. We also share tips, suggestions, recipes and advice via our social media platforms.
4) You will enjoy our smaller classes
We cap all of our classes to a maximum of 10 people. Having smaller classes allows our coaches to actually go around the room to correct, improve and progress your technique.
5) All our coaches know your goals and exercise history
We work closely as a team and discuss all of our clients on a daily basis. Our coaches work to develop the format of the classes specifically to who is booked in for each one, this allows us to offer a much more personalised group training experience.