Author Topic: Opening gym, doing research need help! (Read 9223 times)

anton9 · « **on:** December 12, 2009, 14:09 »

Hi all

As some of you know on here im opening a new gym in London, England early next year and am doing a bit of research so if any of you have a couple of minutes that you could answer a few questions id be really really greatfu. ideally people who currently go to gyms or have done in the past would prefer to answer but anyone is welcome

Firstly could you write how long you have been using gyms for and how often per week you go

Questions

1. What to you are the most important factors in joining a gym?

2. What would make you cancel your membership and leave?

3. For you personally say you could choose 10 pieces of equipment for a personal gym what would you choose?

4. have you used a power plate? If so do you like it and why?

thanks all and have a merry christmas

Ant

LSD72 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2009, 19:18 »

When I was going, I was training to go back in the US Army. Now that Degen Disk has kicked in.. no more of that type training for me.

#1. Monthly Fee...no contract. If I made it back in the Army... there would have been no use in a One year..or even 6 Month Contract. A Small Private gym had a Monthly fee and that worked great.

#2 Think I covered this one.

#3. A Running Treadmill and Various Machines due to not having a Spotter. That would be useful for someone who works out alone. Oh...a Large Trashcan close to the equipment. On one Torture day (Strength and Aerobic round robbin) I was glad there was one close..and I am sure the Cleaners appreciated it too....lol.

#4. Have no clue as to what that is.

cthoman · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2009, 19:43 »

Let's see I've probably been a member of one gym or another for about 10 or 15 years. I usually go about 4 days a week (2 days cardio and 2 days weights).

1. What to you are the most important factors in joining a gym?
Aside from proximity to my house, having all the equipment I need is usually the biggest factor, then price is always nice too.

2. What would make you cancel your membership and leave?
I've usually canceled because I've moved. One time the gym moved, and I canceled it as well.

3. For you personally say you could choose 10 pieces of equipment for a personal gym what would you choose?
You need the ellipticals, treadmills and the full spectrum of free weights. The machines and hammer machines are nice too, but it probably wouldn't be a deal breaker.

4. have you used a power plate? If so do you like it and why?
No. I'm not familiar with that.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

click_click · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2009, 21:29 »

Have been going to the gym for 5 years now. 3 times per week.

1. What to you are the most important factors in joining a gym?

- affordable price (preferably no contract - month to month)
- clean gym/machines/exercise rooms/showers/bathrooms
- don't allow kids (under 18) - extremely annoying - they will come in groups and act like they own the place
- knowledgeable staff - only hire people who DO want to work there!!!
- many, many disinfectant dispensers and paper towels - other members often leave the equipment when it looks like it stood in the rain (yes - it's sweat)

2. What would make you cancel your membership and leave?

- sales people that flat out lie to me in terms of pricing (every gym I walked into did that!!!)
- obnoxious members (who don't leave the machines the way they found them)
- cheaper membership somewhere else
- rude and untrained staff

3. For you personally say you could choose 10 pieces of equipment for a personal gym what would you choose?
Like mentioned before.

4. have you used a power plate? If so do you like it and why?
Powerplates are useless. Used it and it doesn't do anything. They just started promoting here it with naked women sitting on it (for real) - well guess why... You're on it for 10 minutes and feel woozy, some people just get a headache from it. Pointless. If you have a super upper-class fitness club you might get away with it claiming it has to be that way...

Good luck!

anton9 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2009, 15:07 »

thanks all

madelaide · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2009, 15:13 »

The beach is my gym. I hate to excercise indoors.

vonkara · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2009, 16:08 »

Quote from: madelaide on December 13, 2009, 15:13

The beach is my gym. I hate to excercise indoors.

Same, I like better walking in the city. Put big windows with a nice view, AC and a lot of space between the machines and i might like it though

pixdeluxe · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2009, 11:38 »

Quote from: anton9 on December 12, 2009, 14:09

Hi all

As some of you know on here im opening a new gym in London, England early next year and am doing a bit of research so if any of you have a couple of minutes that you could answer a few questions id be really really greatfu. ideally people who currently go to gyms or have done in the past would prefer to answer but anyone is welcome

Firstly could you write how long you have been using gyms for and how often per week you go

Questions

1. What to you are the most important factors in joining a gym?

2. What would make you cancel your membership and leave?

3. For you personally say you could choose 10 pieces of equipment for a personal gym what would you choose?

4. have you used a power plate? If so do you like it and why?

thanks all and have a merry christmas

Ant

Hey,

1. Facilities and professional instruction. I joined a more expensive gym because it had a pool and good cycling facilities.
2. I cancelled at a cheaper gym because they started reducing costs in dumb ways to afford unnecessary renovations. ie. removed sauna, soap dispensers and code lockers so that you needed to bring your own lock. Its the little things that can make a gym far less convenient.
3. Body bikes, free weights and a sit-up benches. Having a pool is great, but maybe not straight-forward.
4. Nope and no idea what it is.

Thanks for the 5 min break from stock

anton9 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2009, 16:07 »

thanks pix

RT · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2009, 18:59 »

Where in London?

If it's in the city I'd suggest lots of mirrors, coffee machines, steam rooms, hair dryers and an area to sell designer gym wear, if there's any space left over stick in a couple of bikes and maybe a treadmill.

If it's in an area where people go to a gym to actually exercise I'd suggest punch bags and lots of free weights, don't worry about a treadmill or bikes because if they want to run they'll go outside and they probably rode a bike in order to get to the gym anyway.

Like most businesses you need to work out who your target audience is, if you're going after the city workers with money they're more interested in the aesthetics and creature comforts than actually exercising, if you're opening it up in the east end I'd have thought the shittier it looks the better.

As for using a power plate, I think I know which audience you're targetting

anton9 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2009, 19:03 »

Marble Arch RT about a 1 min walk from Park land and oxford street.

I have already selected my equipment and the facility im just doing this research to see how accurate ive managed to get too seeing what the majority of people like

thats why im asking what people personally like not what people think other people will like

ap · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2009, 00:37 »

1. i like the whole shebang - pool, steam room, sauna, top of the line exercise machines, nice and clean dressing rooms, temperature control, etc., otherwise i can just lift weights at home.

2. forcing me to pay another rejoining fee if i had to take a leave of absence.

3. i'm not a threadmill person but i do like the elliptical trainers with tv attached. definitely exercise machines over free weights, esp those that strengthen your knee muscles.

4. no.

RT · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2009, 04:57 »

Quote from: anton9 on December 14, 2009, 19:03

Marble Arch RT about a 1 min walk from Park land and oxford street.

I have already selected my equipment and the facility im just doing this research to see how accurate ive managed to get too seeing what the majority of people like

thats why im asking what people personally like not what people think other people will like

Anton I was just trying to help, asking people on this forum is all well and good but if they're not your customers I can't see the point. You're setting up in a diverse location where the footfall is a combination of office workers, blue collar workers and tourists and each would have they're own preferences in a gym, you're also in a location with lot's of competition.

If it were me I'd make up a questionnaire and get a student to get out and target the people you want to join with some form of incentive for filling it out, that way you'll find out what people personally like from the people that will be coming to your gym.

I worked in London for 21 years in different locations and the needs of each area are very diverse, if you're targeting the office workers then things like the facilities would probably be the most important thing because they're likely to be visiting before, after or during a work break and their incentive for going to a gym would most likely be to tone rather than to exercise.

Either way I wish you the best of luck and I shudder of the thought of what the business rates must be!

Suljo · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2009, 18:55 »

I think that the perfect gym


Full Metal Jacket Obstacle Course

graficallyminded · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2009, 18:57 »

Put TV's with audio output jacks on EVERYTHING cardio - activation fees suck - no contracts - make sure nothing shady goes down in the locker room like muscle heads slinging/using 'roids

anton9 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 17, 2009, 14:01 »

I know RT I was just saying that ive already selected my equipment so seeing how close it is to what the general public would choose. Im working like crazy getting this gym open for the new year so dont have time to go round the local area until it opens which is why im asking in a lot of the forums that I use on here to get an idea

and ive found a lot of answers so far very interesting so I do see a good point to doing it

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Author Topic: Opening gym, doing research need help! (Read 9223 times)

anton9

LSD72

cthoman

click_click

anton9

madelaide

vonkara

pixdeluxe

anton9

RT

anton9

ap

RT

Suljo

graficallyminded

anton9

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