owning a gym - SuperiorMuscle.com

joe bigboy · #1 06-03-06, 01:20 AM

anyone here own a gym? i have been thinking about trying to make a go at this for a few years now and i was just wanting to talk with someone that has some experience with gym ownership or leasing.

Control · #2 06-03-06, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe bigboy

anyone here own a gym? i have been thinking about trying to make a go at this for a few years now and i was just wanting to talk with someone that has some experience with gym ownership or leasing.

I've always wanted to own a hardcore gym like the one I started training at. The problem is, there's really not that many hardcore bodybuilders out there that would want to train at a place like that,. The average person just wants to "tone up" so they go to 24 hor fitness or Ballys. The other thing that's rough about it is the insurance, I've heard it's really expensive.

xxxkazxxx · #3 06-03-06, 03:52 AM

In Australia, we have gyms open, but always end up going under. Too much competition from those whose main reliable cash flow does not come from the gym itself. Alot of clubs here (by clubs I mean, places where you go to gamble and drink alcohol) are creating there own universe within themselves. They have gyms, hairdressers, cafe's. Its a one stop lifestyle. It dosnt matter if they only have 10 members at the gym, the actual gambling sector makes up for it. And so many people these days want the whole social status that goes with going to a gym. These places seem to provide that & unfortunately the REAL BB people are out numbered by people who want to just *TONE UP* as control said, or want to be show pony's in an environment where they can be just that. My last gym which was in a club, actually kept their weights to a minimum. By that I mean the DB's where all set, you couldnt change the poundages & they only went up to a certain weight. This was because they did not want to attract BB's for fear it would scare away there main clientelle. Can u believe that? What I have found with people who actually want a gym for BB purposes, is that there is just not enough of these people in one zoned area for a gym of that nature to be successful. Atleast here in Australia anyway. Maybe it differs in America since you have 300 million more people than we do. And most of the guys here would rather a beer drinking bicep work out. But our gyms work like so: A gym opens, all the BB's flock to it & then nobody else does. It gets labelled the **BODYBUILDING GYM**. Then a gym opens 6 months later, and all the social gym goers, the fitness people, the elderly, the overweight people all flock to this gym. Why? Because 90% of these people are threatened by BB's. Which gym survives? Obviously the latter since that holds the most percentage of people. So I think first of all you need to decide what type of gym you want. Then decide where is the best place to be to get these type of people. I think financially your best bet is to make sure you entertain the non-BB types of people beacuse they hold the larger proportion of people. Its all great to wish for a gym full of BB's, but I wouldnt want to be the poor person trying to make money from that! But then you never know unless you try

Good Luck. I think it would be awesome to own a gym.

Sorry for the essay. I'll try keep it short next time

**Shibby** · #4 06-03-06, 03:54 AM

I asked something similar a while back. Maybe this will help some http://superiormuscle.com/vbulletin/...&highlight=buy

dot1 · #5 06-03-06, 04:28 AM

I own a swim, tennis and fitness club. Insurance is high and we are far from a "hard core" club. It is a tough business, I would not want to have to depend on bodybuilders to pay my mortgage. We are very active and have two full time trainers but the variety of other activities make the club work. PM me if you want any specifics.

joe bigboy · #6 06-03-06, 10:04 AM

thanks for the replies, yea it would definetly be hard to draw a hardcore BB crowd especially in my area. ppl just arent really into BB at the level that i would like to have a gym built around. i've just always thought that would be the coolest job in the world, running a real hardcore BB and powerlifting gym....

***THE BOUNCER*** · #7 06-03-06, 10:14 AM

No money in a "hardcore gym" The only money is in "Health Clubs" were people like to chat. lol.

I have a few buddies in North Jersey that have owned a gym since 1975. Little basement type hardcore place. I loved it there. Anyway, since 1975 they have never really had a profitable month. They usually just break even each month.

Get the idea out of your head bro. For your own sake.

P.S. The gym im refering to is about 15 minutes from New York City. Millions of people around. Tons of people go to this little gym.

Now just imagine how hard it would be to make money in a small town like where you live.