I’m currently looking into whether it would be viable to set up a proper hardcore gym in my area and would be very interested in hearing about any successful gyms that cater for more serious lifters.
The only serious places that I am aware of are powerlifting/strongman/weightlifing clubs or very small bodybuilding gyms that lack in equipment. That’s not really what I’m thinking, the idea would be something big enough to compete with the large commercial gyms in the area but purely for the serious lifting market. Think along the lines of the original Gold’s Gym.
However, obviously Venice Beach Gold’s is a shadow of it’s former self and it seems to me that very few gyms like that exist any more. Is there just not a market for that sort of thing these days? The current situation would indicate so. It does seem however, that there is a fairly large number of lifters in my area currently making do with commercial gyms, who would relish the chance to train in a hardcore no-frills gym with a management that actually knows what it’s doing. Especially if it could be priced in line with the cheaper end of the market (which would obviously then require a relatively large member base).
Anyway, I’d love to hear anyone’s thoughts on the mater. Especially if you know of a gym like this that’s actually been able to attract a large enough member base to do well.
I don’t know what kind of area you’re living in,but I’d advise you to do a hell of a lot of market research before going ahead with the venture.I think it’s a great idea,and if the numbers are there,there’s huge potential to do something you enjoy and make a living out of it at the same time.Sounds like a dream job to me,working with like minded people all day doing something you love.
[quote]Calis wrote:
That’s not really what I’m thinking, the idea would be something big enough to compete with the large commercial gyms in the area but purely for the serious lifting market. Think along the lines of the original Gold’s Gym.
[/quote]
I don’t know, unless you live in an exceptional area the serious lifting market is small. I set up a basement gym, have a few of the meatier-heads over and haven’t looked back. If you could make one compete with a Gold’s, more power to ya.
The closest thing i’ve got in my town is my high school weightroom. We run with the BFS program, and that was great my freshman and sophomore years as a base/starting strength substitute and now we’ve hired a guy who works for Elitefts, so our athletic lifting program has become even better
we do the fuckin prowler inside the track at school
closest thing to hardcore unless im working out in my basement
there’s one gym in my city, aside from the shitty rec center, and its a regular old commercial gym with platforms (as a plus I guess) brightly lit with juice bars and crap like that
Couldn’t you just open a fitness club, then wall off an area for the hardcore lifters to do their ME stuff? Just an idea, may be more marketable and allow you to buy more equipment for more variation. Especially if your targeting bodybuilders and not just powerlifters.
There’s a really good powerlifting gym that has been mentioned in some magazine articles as one of the best there is near me called Orlando Barbell (http://orlandobarbell.com)
I tried it out, not a fan. Its small and cramped inside. And you could never get on the squat rack or the bench because their powerlifting team was always using it. They played absurdly loud powermetal inside which sure a lot of people do like when lifting, but not everyone. Just gave me the overall impression that outsiders weren’t really welcome and that they were white power fanatics or something.
Between that and the price which was more than the local chain gym (Planet Fitness) and quite a bit further away it just didn’t seem necessary. So instead I signed up at Planet Fitness and its working for me. Nobody really cares at my location and there’s a few bodybuilders that train there. I’ve never seen anyone even mention the “lunk alarm” or worry about it. Maybe thats just the PF near me but at a mile away and dirt cheap I don’t see the need to go 5 miles away for a more expensive “specialty” gym.
Now there are a lot of “fancy” gyms near me as well and I would love to at least try one but they don’t even allow regular people in its only for personal training. But they have the medicine balls + bounceback net thing, rings, kettlebells, rubber plates, resistance bands, jump boxes, plus all the regular equipment, and never crowded… but again they only cater to people seeking personal training.
Chances are, you’ll need all of those nonserious lifters to pay the bills, which should be the biggest priority you have as a business owner.
That being said, most nonserious lifters choose their gym based on price. So if you have all of the badass stuff you think the hardcore lifters will need but the fee is pretty cheap, it will attract both lifters and it could be successful.
The Powerhouse in my area does this pretty well. It’s only $20/month, has dumbells up to 200, but also has all the cardio bunny stuff and doesn’t have crappy rules. Some BIG ass dudes train there, but theres also the steady instream of weekend warriors because it’s cheap and they make due with what is available.