Opening a female only gym

[wutangnomo]

I've thought about opening a female only fitness facility. Female only are pretty popular and I can see a need for them. Although not the most profitable businesses, I'd do it more for the love of fitness.

There is a location near me that I think would be great for a female only facility. What sort of start-up costs am I looking at?

I'm thinking the pros of female only are:

1) Don't have to buy heavy dumbbells. I'd go to around 60lbs db's max.
2) Don't have to buy so many heavy plates. Mainly 2, 5, 10, and 25lbs plates. Only a few 45lb plates here and there.
3) Don't have to get so many of the hardcore equipment.

Your thoughts?

 

[eat big]

You'd be expected to have many more machines and cardio equipment as well.

 

[swole]

Curves for Women

look it up

 

[anthrax]

Give a few DB and plates to the big guys and they'll be happy

With females you'll need classes (yoga, pilates, pump, whatnot) which require more space and more qualified staff

Besides you'll have to invest in some cardio machines (expensive), "nice" locker room, personnal trainers, healthy snack bar etc

And in the end only old and fat chicks want to be in a female only gym

 

[the-short-one]

You'd be expected to have many more machines and cardio equipment as well.

Yep. cardio bunnies.

The only female-only gyms in my area are like Swole said - "Curves". I've never been in one, but I've seen the type of ladies that go there. Old ones.

Unless you live in a large city that has the population to support a female only gym, I wouldn't open one. Women who are serious about working out (NOT cardio bunnies or pink weight lifters) prefer a co-ed gym. Better equipment, serious lifters, etc.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

1) Don't have to buy heavy dumbbells. I'd go to around 60lbs db's max.
2) Don't have to buy so many heavy plates. Mainly 2, 5, 10, and 25lbs plates. Only a few 45lb plates here and there.
3) Don't have to get so many of the hardcore equipment.

All 3 reasons why I would never got to a womans only gym.

 

[wutangnomo]

You'd be expected to have many more machines and cardio equipment as well.

That's the only drawback.

I was thinking about a Curves franchise. Basically all I would want from Curves is the hydraulic exercise stations. They are very compact and you don't have many machines, but they cover everything. Women love the 30 minute workouts on these hydraulic machines.

 

[foreigngirl]

Curves suck. My friend took me with her and all they do is liek aerobics - music in teh background and they walk from one mashine to another and work out for a min or 2 and then switch again. I dont see any potential in that. Its for old ladies that want to keep moving (not fit), plus their doctor tells them to do so, too


Womens only gym.....I dont know if its a good or bad idea. Me, personally, I know I was feeling weird with the guys around me. On the other hand, there is girls that show up only to see if there is any guys to pick up

 

[the-short-one]

That's the only drawback.

I was thinking about a Curves franchise. Basically all I would want from Curves is the hydraulic exercise stations. They are very compact and you don't have many machines, but they cover everything. Women love the 30 minute workouts on these hydraulic machines.

You're on the wrong site. I don't know a single woman here who loves a 30 minute workout at Curves.

 

[wutangnomo]

Yep. cardio bunnies.

The only female-only gyms in my area are like Swole said - "Curves". I've never been in one, but I've seen the type of ladies that go there. Old ones.

Unless you live in a large city that has the population to support a female only gym, I wouldn't open one. Women who are serious about working out (NOT cardio bunnies or pink weight lifters) prefer a co-ed gym. Better equipment, serious lifters, etc.

I live in a huge city, so the population would more then support it.

Curves is incredibly successful, so obviously the market for cardio bunnies/pink weight lifters is significant.

 

[the-short-one]

I live in a huge city, so the population would more then support it.

Curves is incredibly successful, so obviously the market for cardio bunnies/pink weight lifters is significant.

Curves is popular. I see them all over the place. Women here don't go to Curves, though. I'm not trying to be mean - sorry if I came across wrong. We aren't the right people to ask.

 

[manny78]

1) Don't have to buy heavy dumbbells. I'd go to around 60lbs db's max.
2) Don't have to buy so many heavy plates. Mainly 2, 5, 10, and 25lbs plates. Only a few 45lb plates here and there.
3) Don't have to get so many of the hardcore equipment.

Your thoughts?

ALl these are mostly a one time deal. Hurts at the beginning to throw so much cash on these but then you wont hear about it. Women only gyms require qualified trainers (you know those pencil necks with 27 certificates ?). That means paying salary wekk after week. Will hurt more than buying a bunch of dumbells.

 

[wutangnomo]

All 3 reasons why I would never got to a womans only gym.

There are many more female cardio bunnies/pinkie dumbbell lifters then there are serious women lifters. The market for serious female lifters is... well, small. Not enough to support a fitness facility that's for sure. Obviously I would need to make money for the business to stay afloat. Gotta cater to the market that exists.

 

[wutangnomo]

Curves is popular. I see them all over the place. Women here don't go to Curves, though. I'm not trying to be mean - sorry if I came across wrong. We aren't the right people to ask.

No offense taken. I understand what you're saying, but we are all into fitness (well, some of us that is lol).

 

[superqt4u2nv]

There are many more female cardio bunnies/pinkie dumbbell lifters then there are serious women lifters. The market for serious female lifters is... well, small. Not enough to support a fitness facility that's for sure. Obviously I would need to make money for the business to stay afloat. Gotta cater to the market that exists.

If you open a curves make it beside a Tim's or Dairy Queen you want to keep that fatties coming back

 

[wutangnomo]

ALl these are mostly a one time deal. Hurts at the beginning to throw so much cash on these but then you wont hear about it. Women only gyms require qualified trainers (you know those pencil necks with 27 certificates ?). That means paying salary wekk after week. Will hurt more than buying a bunch of dumbells.

Yep that's the other drawback.

The facility I'm thinking about opening is only going to be a small facility of around 3,000 sq. ft. max. The franchise fee for a Curves is $40,000US for the 24 workout stations. Not too bad in my opinion. According to the Curves site:

"The Curves Workout, dressing rooms and consulting areas require 1,000 to 1,500 square feet. This efficiency allows most locations to be profitable with as few as 200 members."

The facility I'd open would be small, in a busy area.

 

[wutangnomo]

If you open a curves make it beside a Tim's or Dairy Queen you want to keep that fatties coming back

LMAO!

Oh the irony!!! The location is right beside a Tim's!! It is always jam packed with people. I'm being serious.

 

[Kakdiesel]

Curves for Women

look it up

U beat me to it.

 

[2dagym]

I'm thinking the pros of female only are:

1) Don't have to buy heavy dumbbells. I'd go to around 60lbs db's max.
2) Don't have to buy so many heavy plates. Mainly 2, 5, 10, and 25lbs plates. Only a few 45lb plates here and there.
3) Don't have to get so many of the hardcore equipment.

Your thoughts?

Won't see me there.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

LMAO!

Oh the irony!!! The location is right beside a Tim's!! It is always jam packed with people. I'm being serious.

dude your going to be rich

 

[starfish]

I used to belong to a gym in Texas that had a kickass female section. Machines and weights built to fit women. A gym like that would rock if it existed.

 

[Kakdiesel]

I have a question. Why are female bodybuilding types so against the female gyms? Curves is sufficient for 90% of girls who work out wouldnt you think?

 

[foreigngirl]

I have a question. Why are female bodybuilding types so against the female gyms? Curves is sufficient for 90% of girls who work out wouldnt you think?

I cant say in general, but Curves in my area is all old people. The type he is looking for are all in Bally Fitness

 

[2dagym]

Many (I'd say the majority) of women who work out in an all female environment have physique issues (they don't like their bodies or know they are self-conscience or way out of shape and don't want to be seen working out by men. Most female bodybuilding types have fairly decent bodies or are confident enough work out in a co-ed gym. Personally, I use heavy weights and have been in placed like Curves. The equipment there isn't sufficient for my workout needs. It's mostly machines and very light weights. A lot of you guys would probably be surprised how much weight even the fitness girls lift.

I don't have a problem with women who want to go to those types of gyms because I realize it meets their needs and keeps them from being embarassed or self-conscience while they workout. I personally don't have those type of issues and like being in a mixed sex environment.

 

[the-short-one]

Many (I'd say the majority) of women who work out in an all female environment have physique issues (they don't like their bodies or know they are self-conscience or way out of shape and don't want to be seen working out by men. Most female bodybuilding types have fairly decent bodies or are confident enough work out in a co-ed gym. Personally, I use heavy weights and have been in placed like Curves. The equipment there isn't sufficient for my workout needs. It's mostly machines and very light weights. A lot of you guys would probably be surprised how much weight even the fitness girls lift.

I don't have a problem with women who want to go to those types of gyms because I realize it meets their needs and keeps them from being embarassed or self-conscience while they workout. I personally don't have those type of issues and like being in a mixed sex environment.

what she said. not enough weight.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

I have a question. Why are female bodybuilding types so against the female gyms? Curves is sufficient for 90% of girls who work out wouldnt you think?

Are you kidding? First off there is a curves next to my tanning place and I think it says some where plumpers need only apply. I would generally go tanning around the same time 2-3 times a week in the summer saw the same woman for 12 weeks bodies not change one bit.
Secondly a woman can train the exact same way a man would even if she is not a bodybuilder. Woman say they want tone normally that is just an idiots term for muscle. A woman will always remain flabby even if she is thin if all she is doing is some lame ass 30 minute non challanging circuit 3 times a week.

 

[the-short-one]

Are you kidding? First off there is a curves next to my tanning place and I think it says some where plumpers need only apply. I would generally go tanning around the same time 2-3 times a week in the summer saw the same woman for 12 weeks bodies not change one bit.
Secondly a woman can train the exact same way a man would even if she is not a bodybuilder. Woman say they want tone normally that is just an idiots term for muscle. A woman will always remain flabby even if she is thin if all she is doing is some lame ass 30 minute non challanging circuit 3 times a week.

what she said. for plumpers.

 

[javaguru]

Curves is the #1 player in that market...emulate them.

 

[Sassy69]

You should be able to get a lot of information from the franchise itself & also talk to some of the franchisees. Curves is listed as one of the top fitnes franchises in the latest Entrepreneur magazine. However in 2003 when my brother was looking for a franchise opportuntity in Minneapolis, he noted that there were a whole bunch of Curves facilities up for sale....

Just do a lot of research. Stop by some of the existing Curves & talk to the members as well - do they stay there or just try it out & decide they don't like it? I think women's fitness is a very hard market to hit & get repeat customers. You might get the 6 months or whatever membership & then they drop out, but for the effort, you'd need new members coming in all the time.

 

[foreigngirl]

what she said. for plumpers.

lol shorty......


what she said....


lol

 

[Kakdiesel]

By the way, you know how they have girl shorts and pants for girls to work out in with messages on the back where there ass is?

Like college shorts will have OSU, or UA (like UAiron's old avatar) on the butt cheeks?

this girl had one on the other day that said, "I HATE YOU"

i thought it was hilarious.

 

[fistfullofsteel]

sexist and they should be banned!!! whenever there is a men's only club of anything, some fucking cunt bitch is screaming she should be allowed to join.

 

[BUBBLES]

Fernwood is a female only gym in Sydney. Maybe if you do a bit of research on their business activities on google it might help you out a little.

 

[medi3val]

What? Women don't like doing hib-abduction machine in front of a bunch of guys??

Seriously though, I crack up all the time at the gym on campus. This girls are always on the hip-abduction machines spreading their legs in and out. They're SO self concsious. It's REALLY funny when they go get a towl and drape it between their legs.

 

[GoldenDelicious]

lol @ saving money on plates

cost of plates: ~$2 per kilogram.

cost of a single, decent, commercial quality treadmill, outright: $10 000 and up.

my entire dumbbell rack cost me a grand (although i amd a bit of a wheeler and dealer) while the shittiest recumb. cycle i would consider getting is double that. at least.

ladies fitness is a totally different ballgame to meathead weight rooms. no doubt potentially quite profitable. do your homework x100.

good luck

 

[wutangnomo]

lol @ saving money on plates

cost of plates: ~$2 per kilogram.

cost of a single, decent, commercial quality treadmill, outright: $10 000 and up.

my entire dumbbell rack cost me a grand (although i amd a bit of a wheeler and dealer) while the shittiest recumb. cycle i would consider getting is double that. at least.

ladies fitness is a totally different ballgame to meathead weight rooms. no doubt potentially quite profitable. do your homework x100.

good luck

In my opinion, the amount of cardio equipment doesn't differ much from a co-ed versus female only gym. In fact, co-ed facilities tend to have MORE cardio equipment in my experience due to more members. A lot of women who go to co-ed gyms are intimidated/nervous to workout with the weights, therefore, they stick to the cardio equipment. At female only gyms women aren't nearly as intimidated to use the weights, so the amount of cardio equipment is the same or less (from what I have seen).

 

[wutangnomo]

I have a question. Why are female bodybuilding types so against the female gyms? Curves is sufficient for 90% of girls who work out wouldnt you think?

I suppose because women on this board are more hardcore lifters, but as you noted the vast majority of women are your basic average lifters who will use at most 30lbs db's.

If I opened a gym for serious female lifters only I'd go out of business pretty soon.

 

[dullboy]

it's expensive because you have to provide a lot of classes and personal sevices like day care to distinguish yourself.

friends of mine just opened a nice womens club called "Silhouette" in Brooklyn, NY - but the operating costs are high.

 

[wutangnomo]

Questions for you all:

1) Would you rather pay membership for the entire year, 6 months, 3 months, or per month??

2) How often do you think the AVERAGE gym member goes to the gym per week?

 

[NJjuice22]

wutangnomo - your not going to get much love from the females on here. Keep in the mind the "Perfect Women of Elitefitness" all squat 600 and deadlift 500. They are HARDCORE.




no wonder why they all have 4" clits.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Questions for you all:

1) Would you rather pay membership for the entire year, 6 months, 3 months, or per month??

2) How often do you think the AVERAGE gym member goes to the gym per week?

1) Per month bases.

2) Average 3-4 at most I would think.