THE TRAINERS ARE TAKING OVER THE GYMS!

It used to be that gym members joined for the amenities, like towels, TVs and Jacuzzis. Not any more. Large and small, gyms are surrendering to the celebrity of personal trainers. New members are asking to interview the training staff before they buy a membership. If they’re not impressed with the selection they won’t close the deal.

For some, it’s about working with a fitness professional exclusively. For others, it’s a matter of getting an initial assessment and then some periodic check-ups. Still, there are those who merely want the opportunity to shadow the training staff and eaves drop on someone else’s training session. In any case, it’s the training staff that is bringing in members and it’s the trainers that are keeping the members.

Not too long ago, personal trainers were considered disposable by health club management. Note the high turnover ratio of new hire trainers. That all changed when gyms began losing members because their trainers relocated and their clients followed them. A few smaller clubs have begun allowing members to bring in their own trainers in the hopes of reuniting with ex-members and attracting new ones. And, it’s working! Personal trainers have become the link between health clubs and their customers.

Those membership gyms that have realized the value of their training staff have made small changes to the management and the compensation of their fitness professionals. Trainers are now experiencing a modicum of freedom to implement current training techniques and express personal styles. Though slight, some gyms have begun to share more of the personal training profit with the personal trainer.

When membership gyms sell personal training the customer pays the club. In turn, the club pays the personal trainer. This amount is approximately 15% of the per session fee paid by the client. Now that clubs are realizing the importance of their training staff they have upped the ante. Some trainers have been earning up to 25% of the per session fee.

Despite gym managements overdue courtship, there are those club members who have abandoned membership gyms altogether. They are now among the few who have discovered the private, non-membership gym. Of course, not anyone can get in. Private gyms are for trainers and their clients only. These facilities are the result of renegade trainers.

Commercial and neighborhood membership gyms have long exploited their personal training staff. Individual training styles and fringe fitness modalities have always been forbade by gym management. It is because of dictatorial control that trainers have left the confines of membership gyms and created the self-governing “trainers’ gym.” Their exit has left a significant trainer and client vacancy in membership gyms.

Trainers’ gyms, also referred to as private gyms, are paid for and supported solely by personal trainers. They are the exact opposite of membership gyms. For those who workout with a personal trainer exclusively, it’s the perfect choice. There are no memberships and every client is working with a personal trainer. These gyms are for dedicated, serious minded fitness enthusiasts.

A big advantage of working with an independent fitness professional at a private gym is the element of buying direct. Without the commercial club overhead, trainers have more flexibility in pricing. The independent personal trainer is almost always competitively priced with club rates. In many cases, because you are dealing directly with the trainer, your per session fee will be lower than the club price.

Recently, a hybrid of the trainers’ gym has surfaced. It is a combination of the membership gym and the private gym. These facilities offer memberships on a limited and restrictive basis. Their trainers are independent fitness professionals, just like at the trainers’ gyms. Although there are fewer of these gyms than any of the others, they definitely fill a market niche. These gyms are a great solution for someone wanting to incorporate exercise on their own as well as use trainer.

Specialty gyms and studios are an offspring of trainers’ gyms. They are unlike both the private gym and the combination gyms. The specialty studios provide group and one-on-one exercise instruction in specific fitness applications. There is usually no membership fee associated with these facilities but all participation, whether group or individual is paid for by the client. Instructors are both staff and independent fitness professionals. It is most likely to find Yoga, Pilates, Group X and other fitness alternatives at these studios.

More often than not trainers’ gyms, Combination Gyms and Specialty Studios opt not to advertise. Because their services are almost exclusively provided to independent fitness professionals they rely on industry word of mouth. If you’re a customer wanting to workout at a more professional and less commercial gym you have to be in the know to get in.

You might as well bypass the local yellow pages. Many of these facilities are unlisted. Here’s how you get in. If you’re currently working with a trainer in a commercial club, ask him/her if they train at any private gyms. Just don’t let the management hear you. It is strictly forbidden for trainers to solicit clients to relocate. You may also ask any independent fitness professional that you know where your closest trainers’ gym is located. Once you have that information you can walk in and ask for a trainer referral list.

An even better way to locate private gyms and personal trainers is by using an online personal fitness directory that specializes in trainers’ gyms and independent fitness instructors. I know of only one directory that services the Greater Los Angeles area, Exercise West. Exercise West is located online at www.exercisewest.com . If you don’t find what you’re looking for call them (310) 777-2499 and they’ll find it for you.