There are plenty of jokes about people having gym subscriptions they never use. What’s more, there’s probably a lot more than a grain of truth to them. Over the last few months, however, people who run real-world gyms have had very little to laugh about. They may now have reopened (at least at time of writing) but they now face the task of getting paying customers back through their doors. This raises the question of how many people really miss going to the gym and what it means for the industry.
What can gyms deliver that you can’t get at home?
Gyms can offer a wider selection of equipment than the average person can keep in their home. They also offer on-site instructors who can physically see you and offer you, literally, hands-on assistance if you need it. They also offer both sociability and a higher degree of privacy than the average person can get at home. Let’s take a look at each of these and see what it could mean for the future of real-world gyms.
A wide selection of equipment
Some people love mixing it up at the gym, others use the same piece of equipment over and over again. For the first group, there is a clear advantage in going to the gym, for the second not necessarily so much, at least not for this reason.
Over recent years, home fitness equipment has not only massively improved in quality but has also reached the sort of price bracket that has become affordable. What’s more, the price per use of home fitness equipment is likely to be a whole lot less than going to the gym.
This means that, in practical terms, the only real issues with home fitness equipment are likely to be space and possibly noise. What these mean in practice depends very much on where you live, how you live and what you like to do.
If you live outside of a city, have at least some free floor space and like equipment which doesn’t make much of a noise, then you are in a good position to set up your own home gym and vice versa. For the many people who are somewhere in between these two extremes, it’s a judgement call and your decision may depend on one or both of the other factors.
On-site instructors
Again, for some people this is huge and for others not so much. If you’re learning new skills (or keeping on top of established ones) as well as exercising, then having an instructor physically present could be essential. Even if it isn’t, strictly speaking, necessary it can still be very desirable.
With group exercise classes, the situation can be a bit more complicated. If you’re confident you know the moves, then you might not be too concerned that the trainer can’t see you. The key issues then become practical ones. Do you have the equipment, space and privacy? Space is particularly important if a class involves a lot of movement over the floor, less so if it’s more static and focused on muscle training.
Also, should you injure yourself, the instructors are on hand to make sure that you are treated correctly, they can also monitor what you’re doing so that there is less likelihood of injury because you’ve pushed yourself past your capabilities. At home, if you’re exercising alone there is a danger that you could be some time without getting help. You only have to do a quick Google search to see how common home exercise injuries are.
Sociability and privacy
This is the area where gyms excel. Social distancing or not, you are still able to socialise with like-minded people. Nobody is going to bat an eyelid about the space you use, the noise you make or, not to put too fine a point on it, the sweaty odour you generate. Nobody is trying to sleep or work or get peace for an important video call.
The future of gyms
In short, there are good reasons for enjoying going to the gym just as there are good reasons for not. The future of gyms, therefore, probably lies in a blend of real-world and online classes. With a majority of people concerned for their health, it’s a tightrope. You want to stay fit and healthy but attending a gym could put you into contact with the virus, especially if the hygiene is not monitored 100%. There will certainly be challenges ahead for the industry but it provides an important service and is a great form of mental health support for so many.
