STARTING and/or MAINTAINING A FITNESS PROGRAM

• According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), approximately 12% of all new gym memberships are started within the month of January each year and 50% of new members quit going within six months of going.
• It is estimated that 43% of people give up on their fitness goals within one month of making them.
•  46% of members who quit going to the gym cite cost as their reason and "personal training is intrinsically linked to disposable income."
• Approximately 45 million (14% of the population) American adults have gym memberships and the average member visits twice a week.
• Of those current members who regularly visit gym facilities, 12.5% state they work with a personal trainer and 44% workout with a partner.
•  30% of gym members state they never break a sweat because they are socializing while at the gym.

BARRIERS TO KEEPING UP A FITNESS ROUTINE

• According to the New York Post (reporting on a study from OnePoll and Isopure), "50% of Americans feel too intimidated to develop a workout routine around other people."
• The same study states "31% admit to feeling anxious when thinking about trying to get into shape overall."
• "48% of Americans feel intimidated by the number of fitness workouts and classes out there."
•  36% of survey respondents say "running outside is more intimidating than starting an exercise routine."
• "32% of those who experience intimidation at the gym do so when they are exercising near someone who is extremely fit."
• Atlas Wearables provides the following list of reasons that most people don't reach their fitness goals:
• Having unclear goals 
•  Actions don't match with goals
• Not setting deadlines  
• Lack of Consistency  
• Not measuring progress
•  Not challenging themselves in training
• Lack of Support  
• Not sure how to workout on a budget 
• Lack of time
• Taking shortcuts  
• Research indicates that while some results from a new fitness routine can be seen in a 2-3 weeks, its more realistic to expect to see more muscle growth after 3-4 months. This time frame is likely frustrating for people just starting a fitness program and do not have a support system to help them understand the timeline.
• "Since people are generally very motivated when they start working out, the tendency is to overdo it." It is essential for persons engaging in a new fitness program to work with someone who understands potential pitfalls.

WORKING WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER

• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were approximately 373,700 personal trainers in the US in 2019.
• The professional is predicted to grow at an approximate 10% year-over-year rate between now and 2026.
• "Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that members who train with a personal trainer achieve significantly greater fitness improvements than those who don’t."
• Lean body mass – increased by an average of 1.3kg in personal training group versus zero in self-training.
• Chest press strength (1RM) – increased by 42% in PT group versus 19% in self-trained.
• Leg press strength – improved by 38% in the PT group versus 25% in self-trained.
• Leg power (vertical jump) – increased 6% in the PT group versus 0.6% in self-trained.
• Aerobic capacity (VO2 max) – increased 7% in the PT group but decreased by 0.3% in self-trained.
• Millennials who pay for fitness programs typically spend what equates to a lifetime monthly fee of $14 and further, 17.2% of millennials are personal training consumers.
• Approximately 3/4 of respondents in a recent survey (conducted by OnePoll on behalf of AI fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics) state a "personal trainer would help them reach their fitness goals more efficiently."
• The study also found that 69% of survey respondents feel "the only thing that would get them in shape is the help of a personal trainer", but 76% state "said they wished getting a personal trainer was more affordable."
• "According to IHRSA’s Profiles of Success, leading club companies report that a median of 8.4% of total revenue is derived from personal training."
• "More than 8.3 million health club consumers used a personal trainer in 2016, representing 12.6% of total club consumers."
• Personal training clients are more likely to be male.
• "14.9% of multipurpose club consumers use a personal trainer." This is juxtaposed with the fact that "11.6% of fitness-only club consumers used a personal trainer and only 7.2% of YMCA/YWCA/JCC consumers used a personal trainer."

ADDITIONAL RELEVANT STATISTICS

• According to the Department of Health and Human Services, "only about one in five homes have parks within a half-mile, and about the same number have a fitness or recreation center within that distance."
• The average gym member travels less than 4 miles to reach the facility.

 

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• Based on a survey reported on by the Wall Street Journal, "longer commutes are associated with fewer visits, the data found. People who go to the gym once a month travel a median distance of 5.1 miles. Those who go five or more times a month travel 3.7 miles."
• Bloomberg reports that "urban zip codes, with 22% of the U.S. population, host 24% of gym locations. Suburban zip codes, with 57% of the population, have 63% of gyms. But rural areas, which are home to 21% of people in the U.S., have just 12%."

 

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• Not surprisingly, "the median household income of the average zip code with a gym or studio is $72,720, compared to $56,694 for all zip codes."
• For further reference, a spreadsheet has been attached with this project which shows the total number of gyms in each state based on data collected by Exercise.com