Anybody Here Owne(d) A Gym?

**Back In Black** · 03-10-2013, 03:01 AM

If so what type of gym? How long have/did you run it for? is/was it successful? If so, why? If not, why not? What previous jobs did you do.

Not interested in gym managers stories just owners thanks.

All the lowdown good and bad thanks.

**ElectraMaddox** · 03-10-2013, 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by Back In Black

If so what type of gym? How long have/did you run it for? is/was it successful? If so, why? If not, why not? What previous jobs did you do.

Not interested in gym managers stories just owners thanks.

All the lowdown good and bad thanks.

I second that... I want to buy one in 7 years... So how you got started also.... Thanks sorry for my thread invasion

**--->>405<<---** · 03-10-2013, 04:29 AM

Bib u thinking about getn into the gym business??

**Back In Black** · 03-10-2013, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by --->>405<<---

Bib u thinking about getn into the gym business??

I'd love to. My Mrs doesn't have the same ideals as I have when it comes to a gym. She would need her own business to keep away from mine.

If our other plan ever gets off the ground then in a few years it could be a distinct possibility.

**Bio-Active** · 03-10-2013, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by Back In Black

I'd love to. My Mrs doesn't have the same ideals as I have when it comes to a gym. She would need her own business to keep away from mine.

If our other plan ever gets off the ground then in a few years it could be a distinct possibility.

Owning a gym would be great. I have thought about it for years. Once you purchase the equipment the overhead would be low. You need a good maintenance person though

**panntastic** · 03-10-2013, 05:16 AM

I aim to set up a hardcore/ strongman gym in the next 5 years
Strongman training in my eyes isn't catered for enough
I don't train or compete in this area (or any other to be brutally honest)
But I think there is a growing market for this type of training facility in the uk at least.

**The Bear 79** · 03-10-2013, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by panntastic

I aim to set up a hardcore/ strongman gym in the next 5 years
Strongman training in my eyes isn't catered for enough
I don't train or compete in this area (or any other to be brutally honest)
But I think there is a growing market for this type of training facility in the uk at least.

He'll yeah!!! I'm there............sign me up brother!

**panntastic** · 03-10-2013, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by The Bear 79

He'll yeah!!! I'm there............sign me up brother!

I made my own farmers walk handles years ago when I was in an engineering role them suckers weigh 40kg a piece and can easily take 200kg
It's such an amazing sport and would cost far less than a conventional gym to set up
Plant tyres
Logs
Rocks
Etc

**ElectraMaddox** · 03-10-2013, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by jim230027

Owning a gym would be great. I have thought about it for years. Once you purchase the equipment the overhead would be low. You need a good maintenance person though

I actually looked into the operating expenses at a gym and the insurances you have to carry come at a high cost b.c. Of the likelihood of someone getting injured. There's def a market for it.... I think it's an awesome idea.

**Papa Smurf** · 03-10-2013, 07:23 AM

Morning BIB

I dont own a gym, but I help the gentleman that owes ours with marketing. Can tell you some of what we learned in a recent study. Will PM you. Sorry folks, I get paid for my time and research..........

**DSM4Life** · 03-10-2013, 07:28 AM

People saying they want to own a "hardcore" gym are setting themselves up for failure. I am no business man but in my opinion you want a business that attracts as many people as possible. This includes Ronnie Coleman types to soccor moms.

**ElectraMaddox** · 03-10-2013, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by DSM4Life

People saying they want to own a "hardcore" gym are setting themselves up for failure. I am no business man but in my opinion you want a business that attracts as many people as possible. This includes Ronnie Coleman types to soccor moms.

That's true but generally brands target a certain group of people... Planet fitness is not for the everyday serious gym goer... It is clear and obvious their business plan is to get as many non gym goers at a low prices and collect the monthly dues but not use the equipment...it helps keep down the overhead and all those little perks like message beds and tanning etc help keep the member feeling like wow this is a great value I go tanning twice a month I might as well keep it.

golds is driven towards the active user but caters to a variety of clients from bodybuilder to classes and so on. It's takes on an approach of a more upscale gym that celebrities would go to but at an affordable cost. They have their shake bar and so on....

powerhouse gym... The hardcore lifting gym... People all over the world want to go to bev Francis's gym who are involved in the bodybuilding world. They cater to that demographic with the NPC and workshops they throw

**dan991** · 03-10-2013, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Back In Black

If so what type of gym? How long have/did you run it for? is/was it successful? If so, why? If not, why not? What previous jobs did you do.

Not interested in gym managers stories just owners thanks.

All the lowdown good and bad thanks.

A very close friend of mine (known him since grade school) opened up a gym that was focused on MMA and strength training. Think a Gold's Gym type set up for the gym but centered around MMA, kickboxing, and various forms of martial arts. You could go in there and find as much weight as you could want, every machine, but then also 5 rings for MMA, a boxing ring, and a bunch of martial arts classrooms. Its how I got into MMA and probably the best gym I ever worked out in. I started the MMA for cardio days and then just did my regular routine there.

On the business side- after 3 years he closed the doors. The MMA/martial arts training was done by outside instructors so there were like Muay Thai classes taught by top instructors that were just doing Muay Thai, then there were Kickboxing classes by top rated fighters. He even had a few MMA pro's in there training. BUT... there is NO money. After paying the rent on this place, the equipment leases, etc. he was upside down every month by A LOT. Membership was cheap ($20.00) and you really just paid for the classes you wanted to take on top of the base membership price. He ended up refinancing his house to keep the doors open and make all the payments. The following was there but the profit margins weren't. Then he started a local fight promotion venue for amature MMA on the local level and that made a shit ton of money. He ended up closing the gym and set up a lot smaller MMA training gym that gets rented out hourly as part of the fight promotion. He's been doing that now for a couple years and he's finally working towards getting his money back (almost $800K) on his initial gym investment.

I think these days the franchised gyms are the ones that will win and make money. You need the soccer mom's, older crowd, as well as the 15 year old kids that pay $39.99 a month to be able to make any money. If you want to talk to him let me know and I'll see if he's willing to share.

**dan991** · 03-10-2013, 11:30 AM

You know what does seem to be taking off is these small "fitness consultant" places I've been seeing pop up around here in strip malls. Its a tiny office that has 2-3 people in it (maybe 2,000-3,000 sq ft) that offers consultation. Its not a gym- no equipment. Its trainers and nutritionists that you can go talk to in respects to building a routine, diet, etc. It's not the meal plan type places like Jenny Craig and such. More like you go in there to discuss your goals and they help you build a routine, diet, etc. Its not that costly either; like $39.00 a month. The overhead is low and if you get a decent amount of customers you can make a ton of money. A lot of people don't need anything but guidance on what to do. Gyms are a dime a dozen.

**Times Roman** · 03-10-2013, 11:41 AM

only gym i ever owned was the one in my back yard....

....hardly qualifies for discussion purposes

**m_donnelly** · 03-10-2013, 01:05 PM

I'm with panntastic on this one. I want to open up a dungeon gym centered completely around powerlifting, bodybuilding and athletic performance. They used to be quite prevalent around here but know we're inundated with office spaces filled with elipticals.

**panntastic** · 03-10-2013, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by m_donnelly

I'm with panntastic on this one. I want to open up a dungeon gym centered completely around powerlifting, bodybuilding and athletic performance. They used to be quite prevalent around here but know we're inundated with office spaces filled with elipticals.

That's exactly right I know a fair few lads that compete in BB contests and the local gyms are all "family" orientated an the equipment just isn't upto the job
They do a round trip of 40+ miles to train.
So in my geographical area I see a need for this sort of gym

**redz** · 03-10-2013, 02:18 PM

I`m in the process of setting up a gym in Florida right now. I`m Canadian so I have to get an E-2 investor visa but I`m not to concerned as they are not limited. I have a business background from school and know how to run things. I can`t get into too many details about this yet as I want to get the agreement signed before I start blabbing too much about it.

**panntastic** · 03-10-2013, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by redz

I`m in the process of setting up a gym in Florida right now. I`m Canadian so I have to get an E-2 investor visa but I`m not to concerned as they are not limited. I have a business background from school and know how to run things. I can`t get into too many details about this yet as I want to get the agreement signed before I start blabbing too much about it.

Good luck Redz

**diesel101** · 03-10-2013, 03:51 PM

Good luck and keep us posted on how it works for you

**Honkey_Kong** · 03-10-2013, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by panntastic

That's exactly right I know a fair few lads that compete in BB contests and the local gyms are all "family" orientated an the equipment just isn't upto the job
They do a round trip of 40+ miles to train.
So in my geographical area I see a need for this sort of gym

Problem is there just isn't enough bodybuilders in a given area (in most cases) that you can survive by only catering to them though. Even if you had 50 bodybuilders in a town and they each paid $100 a month (and who in their right mind is going to pay that much?), that's only $5k a month revenue generated. After rent, utilities, maintenance, staff, etc is paid, you're going to be in the red by quite a bit. The only way to keep your head above water is you need a huge client base of many demographics.

I kind of want to own my own gym too, but it looks like a difficult market to get in to. low profit margins and heavy competition with other already existing gyms. You really need to provide a service or value to the customers that the other guys don't provide. And your costs have to remain low.

**MuscleInk** · 03-10-2013, 10:17 PM

Hey BIB....

I've had three different home gyms. At one point I had a Smith Machine, Universal Gym, free weights, elliptical, treadmill, stationary bike, roman chair, dip bars, and yes I even had one of those stupid Total Gyms endorsed by Chuck Norris!!! Lmao

While it is very convenient having a home gym, I'm more motivated working out with my peers in a community gym. I'm competitive by nature so I push myself harder when I'm working out with someone else.

Currently I have a treadmill, stationary bike and free weights at home. Nothing more as I work out mostly at the local gym.

**redz** · 03-10-2013, 10:18 PM

The only way to keep your head above water is you need a huge client base of many demographics.

That is accurate, I`m definitely looking at targeting the casual person just wanting a healthier life style, athletes, body builders and pretty much anyone who just wants to be healthier.

**Honkey_Kong** · 03-11-2013, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by redz

That is accurate, I`m definitely looking at targeting the casual person just wanting a healthier life style, athletes, body builders and pretty much anyone who just wants to be healthier.

You also need a lot of capital to start up a gym. Not just money for operating the facility, but you need stuff to live on while the gym is still building it's client-base. You also need money for advertising and to build a good website and have it put in search engines.

**krugerr** · 03-11-2013, 03:07 AM

Wow, you americans seem to have it cheap with memberships. Where I am, the smallest college gym charges £20 ($30) month and the nearest Golds charges £50 (75$). The golds gym has a pretty large membership base and does really well. My town seems to have 6 gyms at least, but the majority of them are 24/7 fitness gyms, 1 is an MMA gym and the other a college gym. If a large gym were to open and have fair sized fitness centre, with a large accomodation for free-weights, it would clean up. Its in my future plans to get a gym open one day!

**Armykid93** · 03-11-2013, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by Honkey_Kong

Problem is there just isn't enough bodybuilders in a given area (in most cases) that you can survive by only catering to them though. Even if you had 50 bodybuilders in a town and they each paid $100 a month (and who in their right mind is going to pay that much?), that's only $5k a month revenue generated. After rent, utilities, maintenance, staff, etc is paid, you're going to be in the red by quite a bit. The only way to keep your head above water is you need a huge client base of many demographics.

I kind of want to own my own gym too, but it looks like a difficult market to get in to. low profit margins and heavy competition with other already existing gyms. You really need to provide a service or value to the customers that the other guys don't provide. And your costs have to remain low.

There was a gym called Sledge back home that was more than 100$ a month membership and bodybuilders paid it

**Honkey_Kong** · 03-11-2013, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by Armykid93

There was a gym called Sledge back home that was more than 100$ a month membership and bodybuilders paid it

Then I stand corrected. But still, my point is you need a lot of customers to even break even let alone turn a profit. It would also be in your interest to have a smoothie shop where you can sell "healthy" treats and protein shakes along with a supplement store.

**Armykid93** · 03-11-2013, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by Honkey_Kong

Then I stand corrected. But still, my point is you need a lot of customers to even break even let alone turn a profit. It would also be in your interest to have a smoothie shop where you can sell "healthy" treats and protein shakes along with a supplement store.

Sorry wasn't trying to prove you wrong or anything