Gym Research

[rtc1036]

Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forums, but I really didn't know where else to put it. I am in the process of doing preliminary research on opening a gym in a near by city. However due to the huge cost involved I’d like to ask you all a few questions if you don’t mind before I get too far into it. Where I live we are inundated with 24 Hour Fitness, California Family Fitness and Fitness 19 centers. The gym I would like to open would cater to the dedicated bodybuilder and/or powerlifter. There would be no aerobics room, no swimming pool, nothing fancy. Just iron, with some more iron and a few cardio machines.

Now for my basic research questions:

1. How far would you be willing to drive (minute wise) to work out?
2. Is five minutes off a freeway off ramp too far into a city?
3. How much would you be willing to pay monthly?
4. What hours would you like to see a gym open? I’m thinking 6 AM to 9 or 10 PM
5. What equipment do you consider as a “must have?”

I realize this is my first post, but I’m not real big on the web. I’d really appreciate everyone’s input because this information will greatly assist me in developing a business plan and help me narrow down where I can find a building based on the time and money issues I mentioned above. I’ve told myself that this is a very neglected market and there are probably thousands of serious lifters in the area who would be willing to drive between 15-25 minutes to go to a good gym and if that’s true it could be the difference between $4-5K a month versus $8-11K a month in rent. Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Stacemranger]

Go ask in the AAS forum. You'll get more responses.

 

[Stacemranger]

The gym I would like to open would cater to the dedicated bodybuilder and/or powerlifter. There would be no aerobics room, no swimming pool, nothing fancy. Just iron, with some more iron and a few cardio machines.

This sounds like a cool idea, but if you notice, all the gyms like this don't do much business and usually don't have much of a population of members.

Now for my basic research questions:

1. How far would you be willing to drive (minute wise) to work out?
2. Is five minutes off a freeway off ramp too far into a city?
3. How much would you be willing to pay monthly?
4. What hours would you like to see a gym open? I’m thinking 6 AM to 9 or 10 PM
5. What equipment do you consider as a “must have?”

1. Right now I drive 25 minutes to my gym. There is a gym that's right next to my house but I don't like it and they don't have good equipment. So that drive is worth it to me.
2. Don't really understand the question, but usually no that's not very far into town.
3. The only gyms I have joined have charged anywhere between $20-40 a month. $40 is the price I would have to pay right now if I didn't get a student discount. I pay $30.
4. My gym is open 24 hours M-F. Open until 9 Friday night. Saturday 8-6. Sunday 1-5. If I were going to change this, I really hate their weekend hours. I would make it 8-9 on Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday. Not a big difference, but I really enjoy the 24 hour option during the week. Sometimes I go early, and sometimes I don't get there until like 11pm, so it's nice.
5. Must Have for me: 2 squat racks, 2 benches, 2 adjustable benches(incline or flat), Full set of DB's(we have 2.5-130), seated cable row machine, pulldown machine(you could easily get a combo of these, but most don't), 1 smith, roman chair, hyperextension thing, leg press, standing calf machine, seated calf machine, hamstring curl machine, fly machine(that goes higher than 255, I've already maxed this machine out), dual cable stack machine, shrug machine, couple extra BB's, preacher curl machine, 2-3 EZ curl bars, some mirrors, 2-3 treadmills, 2 stair climbers, 2-3 stationary bikes, some pullup bars(wide and close) and a water fountain. All of the machines I am talking about except for the obvious ones(cable row, pulldown, fly) are Hammer Strength machines. They are all I've ever used and they seem to work pretty good and be durable. I beleive that about covers everything.

 

[BiggT]

I wouldn't train at a pansy gym (Bally's etc) unless I was absolutely desperate......so I'd be willing to drive 20 minutes or so if I had to, but with gas these days, not much further, as I'm at the gym a lot.

As far as location in a city, it makes no difference to me as long as there is parking, that, to me, would be the issue.

How much I'd pay depends on location......typically, $40/month would be as far as I'd go, but if I was in NYC or someplace with an astronomical cost of living, I'd be willing to pay more, because it is just expected if you live there.

5AM til 10PM would be ideal.....maybe 6AM-10PM, I wouldn't close any earlier than 10 though, because with work and all a good amounf of people can't work out until 8 PM or so.

"Must Have Equipment".....for me, a power rack (ideally) or squat rack (minimally) with adjustable pins..........An olymic bar and a Texas Power Bar.....lots and lots of plates.......a flat bench......an incline bench.......as far as not totally necessary, but stuff that would be nice, dumbells up to at least 180s and a decline bench.....and what would make it perfect, but I wouldn't expect, a platform and bumper plates and some type of implements like farmers walk, sandbags, etc.

Hope this was helpful

 

[super_rice]

A outdoor pool at a gym might be nice though - a good bikini is one of life's simple pleasures.

1. How far would you be willing to drive (minute wise) to work out?

Depends on the gym. Right now I drive 25-35 min. Depending on traffic.

2. Is five minutes off a freeway off ramp too far into a city?

No, it would be great.

3. How much would you be willing to pay monthly?

40/mo.

4. What hours would you like to see a gym open? I’m thinking 6 AM to 9 or 10 PM

6AM - 9PM.

5. What equipment do you consider as a “must have?”

Olympic bars, platforms, bumper plates, good power racks, benches that can be moved around, racks that can be moved around, blocks that can be stacked for partial movements and box squats/box jumps, some dumbbells, everything biggt said.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Sorry if this is in the wrong part of the forums, but I really didn't know where else to put it. I am in the process of doing preliminary research on opening a gym in a near by city. However due to the huge cost involved I’d like to ask you all a few questions if you don’t mind before I get too far into it. Where I live we are inundated with 24 Hour Fitness, California Family Fitness and Fitness 19 centers. The gym I would like to open would cater to the dedicated bodybuilder and/or powerlifter. There would be no aerobics room, no swimming pool, nothing fancy. Just iron, with some more iron and a few cardio machines.
The main source of income for gyms are their paying customers that make New Years resolutions that never workout, lol... good luck bro. As much as we all would love it. You're paying the odds... keep ALL overhead down with K.I.S.S. rules and maybe if you find enough hardcore Lifters.

Now for my basic research questions:

1. How far would you be willing to drive (minute wise) to work out?
I drive 10-15 minutes (depending on traffic) to the gym... and I'm in semi-country. Not the suburbs...but not country... can't walk to anything, lol. 15 minutes max for me... I want something closer than 10-15 it takes to get me to mine now. But my options are limited.

2. Is five minutes off a freeway off ramp too far into a city?
Yes
3. How much would you be willing to pay monthly?
For a no frills... harcore gym... 30-40 dollars. And you should give the customer Chalk on the way in when they swipe their tag lol
4. What hours would you like to see a gym open? I’m thinking 6 AM to 9 or 10 PM
24/7 if I was training like I used to... now... 5am (for when it's one of those RARE morning where I wake up wicked early and do cardio) to 10pm is fine.
5. What equipment do you consider as a “must have?”
Heavy duty: Flat bench, a real Squat Rack... deadlifting/OLY platform. OLYmpic weights. Dumbells up to 200lbs. Free weight benches. Dipping "platform"/Roman Chair. Back Hyperextension "thingy"... Cable machine for Friday's accessorie Bi and Tri work

I realize this is my first post, but I’m not real big on the web. I’d really appreciate everyone’s input because this information will greatly assist me in developing a business plan and help me narrow down where I can find a building based on the time and money issues I mentioned above. I’ve told myself that this is a very neglected market and there are probably thousands of serious lifters in the area who would be willing to drive between 15-25 minutes to go to a good gym and if that’s true it could be the difference between $4-5K a month versus $8-11K a month in rent. Thanks in advance everyone.

^^^ In Dark Red bro

Copy this thread to the AAS Forum for alot of input...this has been brought up before and GREAT info ... i'll do a quick search for you if i can find the thread i'll post if not... good luck


lol... just read BiggT's post... what he said ... I forgot plates, You would have just had a gym with barbells and no plates if you didn't read his, lol

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Here you go:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494943

 

[fallingeggs]

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494943&highlight=opening+gym



edit: gay

 

[SgtSlaughter]

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494943&highlight=opening+gym

beat ya to it

 

[*Bunny*]

beat ya to it

lol