Crowded gyms in a few days

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  • janicebinva
    janicebinva Posts: 99 Member
    And now to the original question...I haven't seen anyone post anything about whether the gyms should accept so many new members that their current members have trouble using the gym. As a membership business, they should know that at some level of crowd, people are going to start quitting and canceling. I canceled my gym membership last year, partially because my gym had become so crowded it was hard to get into the kettlebell classes I wanted to take.

    I know the gym is a business that's there to make a profit, but they should realize that if members can't park in their lot, can't get on the machines and can't get into the classes because there is literally no space, there are too many members. They should draw the line somewhere.

    And to those who say "Don't go at 5 PM", well, I say, many people have regular jobs and families, and they are constrained by those things to working out between 5 PM and whenever dinner is.

    so basically you're saying that once you're on the boat they should pull up the ladder

    This is not a lifeboat, or even an emergency room. It's a gym. If it's so crowded that many of the members find it difficult to use the facilities, then yes, they should turn people away. Just like a doctor with too many patients will not accept new patients. This seems harsh, but the doctor cannot serve more than a certain number of people without neglecting some of them. Same thing for a gym. Some people may have to look elsewhere, or find another way to exercise.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    This is not a lifeboat, or even an emergency room. It's a gym. If it's so crowded that many of the members find it difficult to use the facilities, then yes, they should turn people away. Just like a doctor with too many patients will not accept new patients. This seems harsh, but the doctor cannot serve more than a certain number of people without neglecting some of them. Same thing for a gym. Some people may have to look elsewhere, or find another way to exercise.

    from a pure economics point of view, the system you described is the system working perfectly. gym management would be crazy to make changes.

    1st, they have no idea what time new members are going to work out. if it's busy at 5pm why should they turn down the money of a client who may be coming at 2pm when the joint is empty.

    2nd, many people pay for memberships for years without showing up once, so why should they deny themselves that revenue stream.

    3rd, just like they don't know what time you work out, they have no idea what classes a new member will want to do, if any at all.

    4th, it's absolutely in their best interest to let the place get so full that members who can't stand the pain start cancelling. everyone won't cancel, just a handful. if they cut off new memberships right after you got on the boat, you'd be happy but they'd probably lose 10-15% of their profits for the year.

    This is pure, free market business at it's best.
  • janicebinva
    janicebinva Posts: 99 Member
    This is not a lifeboat, or even an emergency room. It's a gym. If it's so crowded that many of the members find it difficult to use the facilities, then yes, they should turn people away. Just like a doctor with too many patients will not accept new patients. This seems harsh, but the doctor cannot serve more than a certain number of people without neglecting some of them. Same thing for a gym. Some people may have to look elsewhere, or find another way to exercise.

    from a pure economics point of view, the system you described is the system working perfectly. gym management would be crazy to make changes.

    1st, they have no idea what time new members are going to work out. if it's busy at 5pm why should they turn down the money of a client who may be coming at 2pm when the joint is empty.

    2nd, many people pay for memberships for years without showing up once, so why should they deny themselves that revenue stream.

    3rd, just like they don't know what time you work out, they have no idea what classes a new member will want to do, if any at all.

    4th, it's absolutely in their best interest to let the place get so full that members who can't stand the pain start cancelling. everyone won't cancel, just a handful. if they cut off new memberships right after you got on the boat, you'd be happy but they'd probably lose 10-15% of their profits for the year.

    This is pure, free market business at it's best.

    It wouldn't be right after *I* got on the boat. I was a member there for a few years when I quit, and I didn't join in January.

    I see what you're saying. There is some good stuff there, especially about the idiots who pay for years without going. I suppose it depends on what the gym wants to be known for. If they want to be known for catering to their members and having a gym that's nice to go to, then they should take some steps to ensure that everyone who joins can use the facilities if they want to. If, on the other hand, they're more interested in squeezing every last dollar out, then just let people join willy-nilly. When people complain, they can just say, "If you don't like it, then quit". Some people will quit, and give the gym bad word of mouth. Some won't. I did.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    I love it when the gym gets more crowded. I like to people watch. And, I mean if you are polite about wanting to use a piece of equipment next people will normally be polite right back.
  • Soccermavrick
    Soccermavrick Posts: 405 Member
    It is what it is. Mine does not have time limits. Peak hours it gets full, but I find parking harder then a treadmill. And off peak the regulars try to cover each other's back as best we can, of course we see the drop out by early february, not March.
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    The point about larger crowds subsidizing membership dues is one I had not thought of, so than you for pointing that out. I didn't mean for my orgiinal post to come across as mean, hateful, or anything of the sort. I should have re-framed my question and asked those who attend gyms what they do when the crowds show up after New Year's, and the time you have to get in a workout becomes truncated. At the gym I go to, it is no exaggeration to say that you could wait 20 minutes to get on ANY cardio equipment. Anyway, yes, it is what it is. I certainly didn't mean for my original post to come across so brusquely. And my hope is that some of the responders on here would not have intended their posts to come across in a mean fashion. I've found the support on these boards very encouraging, for the most part. Cheers, everyone.
  • bettwalker
    bettwalker Posts: 22 Member
    It's true, gyms do tend to get crowded the first of the year, but as you say it gets back to just the regulars around March. I can't really complain too much. Even though I am a regular member, I stop and start, I've just started back on a regular basis. I just don't seem to be able to stay motivated on a constant basis. Maybe this time I can hang in there. :happy:
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I may destroy someone for running in place inside of the power cage.
  • marioalberto1
    marioalberto1 Posts: 142 Member
    It's not the new people that piss me off. It's that many of them hire personal trainers to help them get started. Many of these personal trainers just spent countless time hogging equipment while the only thing they do is talk and talk and talk with their client.
  • jcreazy
    jcreazy Posts: 50 Member
    I don't mind people in the gym, it's good for them to change themselves for the better. What does make me mad is people that just sit on weight machines listening to music or staring into space and you will get more of that with the more people in the gym.
  • plateaued
    plateaued Posts: 199 Member
    Every new year, the gyms fill up with people who make resolutions. They eventually get back to normal around March.

    I've always thought it was funny and certainly inconvenient. The drop off toward the end of January toward march is especially funny. I noticed it yesterday too. I think folks were working out in preparation for a Xmas pig out.

    Another phenomenon of health clubs is the discounted sale of life memberships just before they declare bankruptcy.
  • ScottH_200
    ScottH_200 Posts: 377 Member
    I think the gubmint should close down all gyms and send every citizen (tax-paying or not) their own elliptical, treadmill and weigh-lifting apparatus!

    Problem solved.
  • DoNotSpamMe73
    DoNotSpamMe73 Posts: 286 Member
    Every new year, the gyms fill up with people who make resolutions. They eventually get back to normal around March. But it REALLY ticks me off -- which sounds awful. But I feel like I go so regularly all year, every year, and then suddenly I have to wait in line to get on a treadmill. And the treadmill time is limited to 20 minutes. Anyone else find they have to wait in a friggin line to get on equipment at the gym? Crazy! They even have employees who come around and turn your machine off at exactly 20 minutes!
    Run outside -- Problem solved
    Got to agree with this guy here.
  • sydneybeachgirl
    sydneybeachgirl Posts: 209
    I love to see the increase of people at my gym around New Year's....what I dont like is when I have to wait for an indoor-rower to become available because someone is sitting on it using it to relax - you know when they just rock back and forth without doing much...that is the only thing that frustrates me :) Row or get out and take up the treadmill :)
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    Maybe the majority of those people are gone by March because they are treated like they are in the way. I certainly don't stick around where I'm obviously not wanted. Just a thought.....
  • shafstar
    shafstar Posts: 36
    Thread is scaring the crap out of me.....

    Anyone suggest a time of the day or night where I'm least likely to bump into one of the 'regulars' ?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Maybe the majority of those people are gone by March because they are treated like they are in the way. I certainly don't stick around where I'm obviously not wanted. Just a thought.....

    or they dont stick around because many think that all they need to do to lose weight is exercise and eat healthy and then by feb/march when they arent seeing results they give up.

    or they try to change too much too soon and instead of developing motivation and commitment to their goals they rely on will power which doesnt last long.
  • AquabearGO
    AquabearGO Posts: 232 Member
    I found the best way to make sure that NO ONE uses the machines you want to use is to go up and SNEEZE on them! Spitting on them works also( I mean the machines, not the people, although that could work too) Going up and just staring real hard at them works well too, especially if you are not wearing any clothes.....just remember, WE are important, THEY are not!!! Hope this helps.......
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Thread is scaring the crap out of me.....

    Anyone suggest a time of the day or night where I'm least likely to bump into one of the 'regulars' ?

    Please don't let this deter you from going to the gym. Seriously. There are plenty of regulars who are happy to help people who are new to exercising and will encourage you to keep going. I always loved having new people come in, especially when they came to classes, because it just made it more fun. Some people just get territorial and forget that they were once the new kid as well.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Thread is scaring the crap out of me.....

    Anyone suggest a time of the day or night where I'm least likely to bump into one of the 'regulars' ?

    you'll be fine. i think the moral of the story is be aware of your surroundings and realize that sometimes the gym is a bit like a community.

    i think most of annoyance at newbs is because they dont know how things work all the time, dont know where things go, dont know the expectations for resting on equipment, ask about best spots if you need to spread out and do a circuit style workout, policy on wiping down machines, etc. when you get your free training session, that's stuff you can ask the trainers.

    there's nothing wrong with asking the trainer to give you a bit of a heads up on the gym's culture

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