Fitness Business Blog

How to Gain a Long-term Fitness Client in Only Two Sessions

Thursday, February 23, 2017

When I started as a personal trainer, my club had a system where we gave each new member two “free” sessions. On the first session, we took them through a traditional exercise routine with the “boring blue card” where we marched them from one machine to the next, wrote down the seat adjustment, weight and suggested sets and reps.

Then, on our second session - which we called the “wow” session - we used non-traditional equipment, applied more “functional training” movements, and tried to impress the member with all the cool exercise combinations we knew.

Why Gamifying Exercise is Good for Your Bottom Line

Saturday, February 18, 2017

We can all agree that if an activity is fun, we’re more likely to do it, right? As trainers, we understand this and do our best to incorporate “play” or “fun” into our training.

We advise our clients to choose exercise modalities that they like to do, we select exercises that will not only improve our clients’ fitness levels, but also create an enjoyable experience, and some of us even develop creative incentive programs for our clients to reward them for their hard work.

How to Find More Time in Your Day as a Trainer

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

If it seems like everybody always wants a piece of the fitness studio trainers’ time, it’s probably because demands are high and ever-increasing.

Trainers are often called upon not only for one-on-one and group training, but also for scheduling, developing programming, monitoring safe exercise execution and countless other vital tasks.

Top Trends in the Fitness Industry

Friday, February 3, 2017

Fitness is no different than many industries who are always looking to stay on top of trends. Fashion has its waves of top styles and colors, restaurants have the favorite dishes and flashy ingredients we all look to have on our plates.

Being in fitness for 12 years myself, I have seen my share of what has stayed mainstream and what has fallen to the wayside.

Lack of Fear and Its Correlation to Your Fitness Business

Friday, January 27, 2017

“We can’t escape fear. We can only transform it into a companion that accompanies us in all our exciting adventures; it is not an anchor holding us transfixed in one spot.” This quote from the book “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” is a perfect example of what happens to most people in life and business.

Fear is our natural reaction to danger. But honestly, at this point in world history, how much physical danger are we actually in?

My Experience with ClassPass and Its Impact on Studios

Friday, January 20, 2017

Most studio owners have been affected by ClassPass in one way or another. There are those of you who have used it as a marketing tool to get an increasing number of bodies into your studios and classes. For others, you have been fighting against it as you watch some of your clients and members walk out the door.

In case you are not familiar, ClassPass is "a new kind of gym membership that grants you access to thousands of different classes at studios and gyms in your city and around the world,” per their website.

Sustaining Exercise Motivation for Yourself and Your Clients All Year Long

Sunday, January 15, 2017

You are probably already full speed ahead in working toward your fitness goals – get it! Remember that you are in this for the long haul - your sustained effort over time is important - pace yourself and enjoy the ride.

As you probably know, memberships and physical activity levels tend to increase and peak during the first quarter of the year (January – March), and then drop off throughout the rest of the year.

Why Fitness Studios Should Join the Medical Fitness Network

Thursday, January 12, 2017

There are approximately 100 million baby boomers (aged 50 and over) in the United States making up 30% of the nation’s population and three-fourths of its wealth[i]. This group is expected to live longer than previous generations. This is the largest population segment in our economy and they are seeking professional help for their aging bodies.

As this group ages, we are seeing a significant increase in obesity, chronic disease and individuals with multiple medical conditions.

Why Incline Bodyweight Training Is Right for You

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Clients come into a fitness studio for diverse reasons. They may want to lose weight, increase strength, train for a specific activity, or simply feel and look better. Clients across age and conditioning levels tend to share certain motivating factors. They are often strong on desire for physical transformation, and short on confidence, patience and time.

Resistance incline bodyweight training—both equipment and training methods—can be the perfect studio solution for at least five important reasons.

The Secrets Behind Motivating Your Team

Friday, January 6, 2017

Building a team of dedicated and engaged employees sits at the foundation of every business strategy. In the fitness space, this becomes more critical as success in our industry means we provide a service that enables people to live a healthier quality of life. It’s a grandiose mission with (typically) a less than grandiose compensation plan.

Ask any manager, trainer or even instructor, none of them chose this career to make a lot of money.