Full-Service Gyms Feel a Bit Flabby

NY Times ^ | January 26, 2011 | CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS

[goodnesswins]

I’m just in the beginning of it (past month or so)....I think it’s working...but, we just came thru the holidays and I indulged this year more than usual. In a few months I’ll know better. I do like it...it’s a nice change. I hate gyms anyway, and have power walked for the past 20 years....so...this is similar....just that in my neighborhood they probably refer to me as that “weird walking lady” because I pump my arms like I’m boxing a lot (I don’t run, I racewalk)..while I’m walking....I’m also trying to do resistance exercises (pushups, sit ups, etc)

[Galtoid]

Forget the gym and the hamster cardio machines. Take a real kettle bell class from an RKC certified instructor. You won’t believe the results. You’ll never join another gym!

[martin_fierro]

For all their ads promising to stir motivation journalism, gyms have the NYT has failed to do so. “Up until the last six years, it’s been relatively easy to sell memberships subscriptions, and to replace people going out the back door with people coming through the front door,” said Michael Scott Scudder, a consultant who advises health clubs newspapers and conducts up to 15 industry surveys annually. “Not so anymore. We’ve come to a point that we can’t sell enough membership in the industry to cover the attrition rate.”

There. Fixed.

[Immerito]

The obvious culprit is that more people simply don’t have the expendable income for gym memberships that they did in previous years.

In addition, I suspect that such home workout programs as Power 90 and P90X have contributed to this, keeping those who previously had gym memberships working out at home.

[Trod Upon]

For the price of a year’s membership I was able to buy a bench and enough free weights to never need a gym again; the road is my treadmill and I do pull-ups on a roof beam. I no longer have to drive or wait or worry about my locker getting broken into to work out. Haven’t missed the gym once since I made the change.

[Larry Lucido]

I’m going to start it today and I’ll let you know how it works.

[j-damn]

*Or maybe it’s because gym memberships are like cell phone contracts. Can’t get out of them and they charge you a cancellation fee if you do.

Racket.*

Hey, now, don’t forget the lingering naked people and the potential for picking up a staph infection.

[Trajan88]

I wish I could do that, but a hockey injury (torn ligaments in one wrist) prevents me from using dumb bells/free weights... I tear it again it means use of cadaver pieces... ah, no thanks :-)