OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUB INDUSTRY
STATUS OF THE OVERALL INDUSTRY
The fitness industry was established between the 1970s and the 1980s, the popular trend then was running and aerobics. Later, it the 1990s, club membership started which contributed to an enormous period of growth in fitness centers in the 2000s. The International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) show that as of 2013, 41 million Americans are now members of a health club. Just about half of the members belong to commercial health clubs, and the rest belong to non-profit clubs, country clubs or spas. The fitness and health club industry is highly fragmented, as there are the main fifty largest companies who control about thirty percent of the market, and there are only a few companies who own more than ten health clubs (IHRSA, 2013).
Fitness and weight loss have grown in popularity for Americans due to the high rates of obesity which is prevalent in the United States. The obesity rate grew from 1987 to 2007. All states except for Colorado consider at least one fifth of their population obese. Further, about one third of the United States population, which is over 72 million Americans, are considered clinically obese. Therefore, there has been a major growth in the two main sectors of the industry, fitness centers and weight loss solutions (IHRSA, 2013).
THE PRODUCT
Generally all health clubs offer exercise equipment, such as free weights, cardio machines (treadmills, elliptical), and weighted machines. However, each facility offers different services and products. Some facilities offer pools, spas, basketball and racquetball courts, personal training, and group classes while other facilities merely offer the basic equipment.
KEYS TO SUCCE...
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...shop manager and sales associate, spa (manager, therapist, esthetician, coordinator, desk associate), maintenance, and member services.
MY OPINION OF THE INDUSTRY’S FUTURE
It should be no surprise that I am a fitness fanatic. I enjoy exercising as it is the best and healthiest method to reduce stress and maintain one’s health. As the current statistics present, the fitness and health club industry has been growing and is expected to continue expanding over the next decades. Further, Equinox is a great example of a full-service health club which addresses many areas besides for merely fitness, which is why they are a very successful company and have been able to overcome their competitions. I believe that this industry will continue in its growth and being successful, especially because the recent trend in society is to accomplish and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Customers usually make decision of purchase by comparing the “value” of a product or service, which can be looked as the benefit–sacrifice ratio. Many customers find the prices of most health club and gyms too high because they see little value in some of extra amenities, in other words, they find that the benefit they receive is not valuable, comparing to the sacrifices they make; in this case, the benefit-sacrifice ratio in this case is pretty low. Therefore, Planet Fitness offers good value membership, which means high benefit-sacrifice ratio for customers, comparing to other major gyms.
facility. All of the gyms are up to date with the newest equipment and free weight.
One needs good customer service; one cannot be rude. One also needs to be patient and prepared to stand all day. Other necessary skills include cutting hair for men and women, coloring hair, styling, doing facials (such as makeup), and doing manicures and pedicures.
Obesity is a rising problem in the United States. With obesity rates on the rise something must be done to prevent this massive issue. There are ways to help including educating at young ages, improving nutrition facts at restaurants, and providing more space for citizens to get physically active.
Obesity remains an extremely serious issue worldwide. Once considered a problem for wealthier counties, overweight and obesity are now dramatically increasing in low and middle income countries (WHO, 2011). In American, the rates of obesity continue to soar. CDC (2009) recognizes obesity as a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. According to NHANES over two-thirds of the US are overweight or obese, and over one-third are obese (CDC, 2009). Treatment for this illness varies; it may include the incorporation of diet, exercise, behavior modification, medication, and surgery. Since there is no single cause of all overweight and obesity, there is no single way to prevent or treat overweight and obesity that will help everyone (CDC, 2009).
Entertainment has been an established part of the American culture almost since its founding. The types of entertainment that most Americans enjoy in today's world are going to the movies, going out to eat, and exercising. Different forms of exercise vary from running and playing sports to weight lifting. Those who enjoy weight lifting can choose to do so in the privacy of their home, in a community center like the YMCA, or in a health club. At a health club one can expect to find a wide variety of people; however, some of these people add to the downside of working out at a local health club because they can be annoying and obnoxious. Three types of these annoying, obnoxious people found at the weight room of a local health club are the show-off, the know-it-all, and the wanderer; these types can be identified by their physical appearance, their social behavior, and their attitude.
The Health and fitness industry have many ethical issues involved which was very interesting to me. I have never purchased a membership at a health club, but from the reading I learned a lot about how they operate. It amazed me that health clubs push their sales representatives to get 200-300 new members a month (Amend, 1992). This is a large amount of people for such a short amount a time, which means some members are not fully aware of the fine print of the membership agreement. Also the reading mentions that more than half of instructors at these clubs do not have valid certification (Copeland et al, 1988),. This is unethical because the members pay each month for the service of a qualified staff member to assist them in exercise and fitness. Safety of the members could also be at risk working out with a non-qualified trainer. Learning how these companies do business make me want to hold off as long as possible to join a gym.
With America’s obesity rate on the rise a CrossFit gym that welcomes beginners, thoroughly teaches and explains each exercise and can offer a group atmosphere that’s welcoming to individuals who have never worked out before could help decrease the obesity rate. The group aspect of CrossFit is beneficial because it’s a motivator to keep attending workouts and to reach the goals you have personally set. Attending a CrossFit gym could also be a motivator because not only is the coach pushing them to get through the workout but the other members of the class are pushing each
Instead of trying to persuade customers to buy what the LA Fitness has already produced, the marketing department has decided to produce a product for families not just individuals. The corporation has decided to do this through research. Consumer needs and wants became the firm's primary focus. This consumer-orientated marke...
Black, Tamara. 2008. Exercise and Fitness in a U.S. Commercial Gym.Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
Lets start by understanding that cultures are a melting pot of people’s beliefs, language, behaviors, values, material objects, and norms. Norms are written and non-written “expectations of behavior” that govern a certain location, place, or culture (26). These norms also vary from culture to culture meaning what is a norm in the U.S may not be a norm in India. For example, a norm in America would be tipping a waiter after a meal. Another would be acknowledging someone as you walk past him or her, typically done at work or in a public place. In all, norms are folkways, mores, taboos, and written laws that are an established standard of one’s behavior.
With more and more people aiming to lose weight, the fitness industry has been pressured to accommodate the high demands for efficient and entertaining workouts. This greater variety of workouts hitting the market is a result of the diverse types of people who are trying to get in shape. Health clubs are no longer only for those 20-30 year olds who are in competitive training or those who need to be fit as a job requirement. Instead, these facilities are now packed with people of all ages, and various skill and fitness levels.... ... middle of paper ...
I. Introduction: You’ve probably heard it a million times that obesity is an issue on the rise in America. Well, why if everyone knows that it is a problem is nothing being done to fix it? I’m here to propose a solution to this problem affecting over a third of the adult American Population.
Since the dawn of humanity, exercise has been crucial for physical survival. In recent times, however, exercise is losing its significance to human survival. Some would argue that it already has lost its significance, and as exercise becomes less important, people exercise less. According to fitness.gov, only 33% of adults receive the recommended amount of physical activity each week (citation). Clearly there is a problem. However, there is still a fraction of the population that exercises diligently. Why do these people stick with it? Exercise has countless advantages that are still extremely important to our lives. So even though the need of exercise may appear to be diminishing, the practical effects should be enough to encourage people
The thought of sitting around all day, not being productive and watching television sounds pleasurable; however, it is not even remotely healthy. Modern day Americans have become accustomed to being unproductive and watching TV for long periods of time while simultaneously eating junk food. Whether it be talking on the phone with mother or consuming a greasy pizza on the sofa, sitting down and not enduring any physical activity can lead to obesity. Also, American elementary schools have been serving children unhealthy meals and they are consuming more fat than they are fruits or vegetables. Americans need to change school’s menus, reduce the price of gym memberships, and discard the use of false advertisements.