Younger people were much more attracted by the low-cost option – especially young males, who felt less need for help or supervision
younger gym members (particularly males) feel less need for help/supervision. Being sparsely or at times completely
unmanned is one of the key elements of most low-cost models – a necessity to keep the costs down. When questioned about the importance of staff, there was a fairly even three-way split between people who felt having no staff around would put them off joining, with 39 per cent saying it definitely would and 32 per cent saying it definitely would not. Women were most likely to be put off, with 40 per cent saying it would definitely deter them from joining.
Microgym appeal Just over half of our sample (53 per cent) undertake activity through walking, jogging or running, with only a quarter saying they use leisure centres/health clubs as their main form of exercise. Interestingly though, 41 per cent felt they were able to get enough activity in their daily lives without specifically doing sport or exercise – a perception the sector may need to address given increasingly sedentary lifestyles across the UK –
www.healthclubhandbook.com
37 per cent of respondents felt the low membership fees offered by the likes of Fitness4less would entice them to join a gym
with just 33 per cent acknowledging the importance of sport/exercise in reaching recommended physical activity guidelines. The opportunity for our sector is
clearly there, and yet participation levels have failed to increase significantly over the last 10 years. In part, this is because many consumers do not understand the new offerings available, having not been in a leisure centre or gym for many years. Others are unconvinced that what we’re offering is good value, and/or going to help them achieve their goals – perhaps not surprising when we consider how many adults have been members, failed to make lifestyle changes and left. While the low-cost clubs address the
value argument well, another way to turn this tide – helping address the concern that gyms may not help people meet their goals – might be the niche/microgym approach. These gyms take one or two activities or specialisms and concentrate purely on that, usually in a relatively small facility and in an extremely focused way. Our HAFOS research suggested that 57 per cent of women and 50 per cent of
men would be encouraged to join a class/ activity if it were offered in a micro/niche gym context. The microgym concept also appeals to all age groups in a way the low- cost model doesn’t. Among those saying the microgym
model appealed to them, the most popular activities people would like to try are free weights, group exercise classes and weight loss classes/sessions. However, there were real differences between male and female responses, with women more interested in dance and yoga, and less interested in free weights. Interestingly, weight loss classes were equally attractive to men and women (see Figure 4). With this in mind, microgyms may need
to be designed to appeal to particular gender/age groups if they are to succeed. ●
FIND OUT MORE The full HAFOS report is available to buy from Leisure-net. Please email
info@leisure-net.org for details, or visit
www.leisure-net.org to download a free infographic.
Health Club Handbook 2015
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