Prior to this year, the fitness industry was in the best of health, with a market value in excess of one billion, and more than ten million gym-members around the country. Just about every town and city had an abundance of gyms to choose from, and it looked as though this trend was about to continue. This is in spite of the fact that the proportion of adults who qualify as obese has been climbing over the same period.
Will the Fitness Industry recover post-lockdown?
It’s difficult to say with certainty what effect the pandemic will have had on the fitness industry as a whole. It might be reasonable to suspect that many people have found alternatives to gym membership, like a home gym or a jogging regimen, and will be reluctant to go back even when the danger has passed.
There’s some evidence to suspect that the general trend will go in the other direction, however. A survey by King’s College London revealed that around forty-eight percent of us have put on weight during the lockdown, and that many of us feel uncomfortable or insecure about it. As such, there’s sure to be plenty of demand for fitness aids after the lockdown has ended. Moreover, given than three-quarters of Britons have been saving money during lockdown, there’s sure to be plenty of funds for those willing to invest in their long-term fitness.
In other words, it’s a great time to enter the business and launch a gym. If you’re looking for start-up or cash flow finance, then you can find it from online lenders.
Do I need to be Qualified?
If you’re going to work as a personal trainer, then you’ll need to be appropriately qualified. This might come through a range of level 2 and level 3 diplomas. You can then register yourself with various bodies, who will help to demonstrate that you understand what it is you are doing.
Perhaps more important is public liability insurance and a first-aid award, which includes a CPR certificate. When you’re guiding the general public through potentially dangerous exercises, there’s always a risk that they’ll suffer in this way – and you need to be able to help them immediately.
Of course, it might be that you aren’t personally offering any of these services. If you’re running a gym rather than simply working in one, you’ll need to put in place procedures which ensure that all your PTs meet the required standard.
What Else Should I Consider?
When composing your business plan, you’ll want to take account of a range of factors. The most important of these is location. A visit to your gym needs to be able to slot neatly into your customer’s working day. Forcing people to add even a few extra minutes to a commute might persuade them to go elsewhere.
Second, you’ll need to factor in the tastes of your client base. If you want to appeal to serious weightlifters, then you’ll need a different sort of machinery than would be appropriate for a mainstream, commercial gym. The same factor will influence your branding and dress code.