Hey gang,

Looking for what you all want in a health club.......Lay it all out there but leave the BS for the Political Soapbox.

All kidding aside I value your phoney baloney input.

Thanks

Maybe not what you wanted to hear:

Have you and your partner gone to the HCs that are a success in your market and "benchmarked" them? Looked at their business model? Asked them what has worked and what has not?

Not advocating you be a "cookie cutter" model of Bally's or 24-Hour Fitness or Gold's Gym. But look at their best practices and at a min do that. Then think about what lies on the next tier - those services that their customers like but are not the prime and think of ways to improve that service, so that now your club stands out - and has its own industry "best practice."

Above all, if you're Peoria - market to Peoria and not LA.

Just my 2-cents. Good luck in the venture.

Thanks russ.....We are very much on that and your points are well taken. We have looked visited the clubs around us and in the broader vicinity. Our main competitors will be LA Fitness, and Gold's Gym.

LA Fitness has all the amenities, but its corporate and low on service, golds is run down and not real clean. Lots of express gyms out there as well curves etc.

Much of what you have suggested we have done in preparing our Business Plan.

I'm not a gym person, JT. I have thought of joining one. I guess you gotta know your target audience. There's a gym very near me, but their focus is on personal training (cost circa $500/mo.) and weightlifting machines. Surprisingly, to me, even in a small town with low median income they seem to do well.

That would not be my kind of gym (or bankroll).

The owner looks like he has massively infused some musculature-enhancing substances.

Is magenta lycra still "in?"

Like, for men?

This would be his honey:

Is that a plastic-surgerized specimen in drag?

(S)he may be holding that skirt down for a reason.

Spacebud, I ain't sure those weapons up top came from the Pentagon.

thanks lil bart,

$500 a month?whoaa

One of our target markets is women. We will have a kids club/child care for moms, sauna, massage therapy, all the cardio and weight machines, Smoothie/Expresso bar, aerobics/pilates, cycle spin, locker rooms etc.

lil bart you just need about 20 minutes a day, and you will add days and energy to your life. start moderate eat right and find a club that is much less say $40 a month. You can afford to invest $1.25 a day in your personal health.

As non gym person if you did join, what is most important to you?

At the Y where I go, they have a "beginners room" where new people (or just shy ones) can work out in a relatively smaller group setting.

If you are going after women, that might be good to get some of the shyer ones to stick with it.



It certainly appealed to me when I started. They called it the 16-week program, and there was someone on hand to teach you the different machines, and work you up the repitition/weight scale. They even let you stay longer than 16 weeks if you show up 3 times a week.

In conjunction with the beginners room;


Fairly soon there are going to be a LOT more older women with problems like osteoporosis and arthritis. An aging demographic with money to spend and problems to cure. I'd suggest anything that would cater to the older generation, especially women. Special classes, instruction, equipment and anything that would make them feel comfortable might be just the thing to set you apart from a place like Gold's, full of young men with no disposable income.

The future is gray, and maybe green as well.

JT...sounds like you've really hit all of the "highlights!"

When you target women, you'll get the men...GUARANTEED!

I'd market it as a "Family Fitness Center" as well...a place with something for every member of the family...but women will want aerobics, cardio equipment, easy select weight machines, etc. You might even find a couple of decent trainers, NOT the $50 to $100 an hour kind, just some folks who are really good with people, get them a low-level personal trainer certification, and offer maybe 2 or 3 free sessions as an enticement to signing up. Have someone show them how to properly use the equipment, a few decent workout routines, etc. Make sure those folks are "presentable" too, if you know what I mean! Like it or lump it, if there's "eye candy" folks will sign up.

Good luck!

Hey JT...I could get you in touch with a good buddy of mine who owns a health club in a VERY competitive market here in California, who is doing pretty well with a fairly small club. He could definitely give you some insight, I'm sure.

Let me know via E.

papafred45@hotmail.com

Biggies da man!

Hey Sweetie! How are you?!

I missed you the other night, I'd been up to Northhampton MA--looong drive. Glad you're popping in!

Hows the miracle child doing?

My kid is sick, so I gotsta run, but I'll probably be back later.

[[[[[[BIG hugs]]]]]]

Jessie's doing absolutely outstanding. She's walking all over the place, cutting teeth and is the ORNRIEST child you'd ever see...guess you've gotta have a bit of that to survive what she has so far!

Coolest thing of all? The very first word she said was "papa!"

At's mah gurl!!

All great insights, I appreciate it, go big, I will email you. We are here in southern california as well.

Whereabout's in SoCal?

Why am I not surprised?

Well you know your market but flying by the ‘seat of my pant’s’ these are ideas that of course I think are good:
Depending on your location:
Consider:
A mud spa (they make them for homes now)
The new water filters for showers (filters the chlorine)
Have a physical therapist (seems to be the up and coming service industry) hire part-time PT students
Have a shuttle to senior centers located in your area they might be good for filling the slow time

Also body wrap / contouring specialist, kind of a "Day Spa" thing goes over really big...but it's also an added expense. However, the body wraps are really popular, and it wouldn't take long to pay for itself.

CSH has a pretty good idea...make it sort of a "full service" type place.

We've got ties with chiropractors and osteopaths here, which seems to help the business somewhat too.

Self defense classes, yoga, Pilates, "core" training, spin, etc. all bring in members.

But ya' still have to have "IRON" to fill the place up.

Tons of cardio equipment, tons of weight, and lots of eye candy!

An eye candy gym is exactly the kind, male or female, that I won't go to. But then I ain't in SoCal.

oh yeah, if you have little kids there start them on some exercises...just for fun games...
and keep that kiddie smell out!!!!

John Tesh was raving about some video game that combines exercise and games.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7382025/

Dance dance revolution, or sumthing

They had that on an episode of Malcom in the Middle. As much as I hate dancing I have to say it's a good idea to make execise more interesting for those of us with attention deficit disorders.

I imagine a really bright inventor could design apparatus and video screens to make workouts really intense if they wanted to.

But dancing? Probably not me.

I meant for the kids!



Or are you a big kid?

Haven't you figured that out YET?

I want fun with my exercise too.

Whats funner than tennis, aside from JTs new club, of course.

Racquetball, but it seems to have died out in popularity.

r

My fav. I played with such fervor that I wore out my shoulder. (it had been dislocated repeatedly, but the R-ball finally did it in)

That'll do er for sure. I switch hands to try and stave that off. Same with tennis though I can't serve left handed.

Really, try bringing a dog with you to tennis.

Talk about fun!

Willow loooves tennis. More than those bison did, I think.

A girl we play tennis with brings her old retriever, but one time the health department showed up and gave her a warning. For the longest time I refered to her as Public Enemy #1.

The heat's been off lately so the dog gets to come back sometimes. She dearly loves it, but we have to always be on the lookout for The Man.

Sounds like a good idea for a tee-shirt

This is just not a post that should stand out of context.

riverside county

While looking through e-bay found a house for sale in your neck of the woods it needs to be moved....so if you needing a house check it out I thought it was nice.
ebay item #4380626607...

the new club is progressing. We are building it out now as the framing is up and plumbing and electrical ar egoing in. Weve presold over 100 memberships in the first two weeks.

Its coming together.

Congrats!

Must be a very exciting time.

thanks space it really is....mixed with alot of blood sweat and tears to get it up and running

Don't I know. I've helped a couple of friends with start-ups.

dont have much time to harangue you guys with my shenanigans anymore.....

You'll be flaming us from your front desk command-post soon.

How about offering free memberships to the local Hooter's girls?

space how bout i bring you on as promotion director?

I'll volunteer for the sales calls to Hooters.

How about the need for a 'talent scout'?

I am available!

Good job JT

Best of luck!