New Data Reveals Key Insights to Help Personal Trainers, Gyms
Learning the preferences of gym goers and their expectations can drive engagement and new business
If you’ve ever found your gym bustling with activity in the early hours, there’s a good reason: more than half of Americans (65%) choose to start their day with a gym session, as revealed by a recent survey conducted by Flex Fitness.
The rising interest in fitness and health has led gym membership and engagement numbers to soar across low-priced, high-value franchises such as Planet Fitness and Crunch Fitness to premium country club style operators like Life Time, where waitlists are routine.
There’s never been a better time to be in the fitness and wellness business, which has united Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers in a health mission. It’s not a passing trend, either — the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment prospects of fitness trainers and instructors is rosy and will create nearly 70,000 job openings annually.
With a healthy job market, new data from Flex Fitness, the creators of a free workout app, and Insurance Canopy, which counts 43% of fitness instructors as its policyholders, provides fresh insights into the current preferences of gym goers and ideas on how to keep fitness consumers committed to their health goals.
Rise and Grind
Fitness consumers are more apt to prefer the two-hour window between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., according to 33% of men and 21% of women polled by Flex Fitness. The timing is more than just convenience; it is linked to performance and quality, as 71% of gym goers reported. Over a third (35%) of respondents say cardio is the modality most impacted by workout timing.
This data can be helpful to personal trainers looking to attract new clients, considering 47% of Insurance Canopy’s fitness experts/policyholders teach multiple types of classes and 66% lead small group personal training. While personal training is the leading niche for fitness instructors based on sales data, other offerings also show promise: yoga (27%), group fitness (21%), dance (17%) and Pilates (16%).
Following cardio, gym goers say that timing affects strength training (23%) and yoga (18%), which could be helpful for gyms and personal trainers to determine the most optimal class times and scheduling formats to offer. For example, it may be prudent to schedule cardio-based classes earlier in the morning.
Younger fitness enthusiasts (those 18 – 29) tend to be divided by the 6 a.m. – 8 a.m. slot and the evening between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Since Gen Z tends to be most interested in strength training, having an evening class could attract a high number of attendees.
Staying on top of the latest trends in sports and fitness can also generate great ideas for new fitness classes. This summer, Crunch piloted a pickleball-focused circuit-based class at six of its gyms in New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles. The effort has paid off, with Crunch CEO Jim Rowley telling ATN recently that the program has been “wildly successful.”
Staying Engaged
Notably, the top reason fitness consumers lose motivation is not having a consistent schedule or structured routine, according to 43% of respondents. It’s a substantial finding, but there are simple remedies that gyms and personal trainers can take to keep clients encouraged.
Fitness consumers want flexibility, and 16% say there’s a correlation between being able to fit in a workout in their busy schedule and sticking to a regimen. Another 14% report that tangible results from their efforts keep them engaged, while 13% say it’s having a reliable workout buddy by their side.
The leading personal training styles are functional fitness (78%), strength (56%) and wellness training (44%), which have all seen demand in 2023 and 2023, according to Insurance Canopy’s findings. Low-impact fitness modalities, such as Pilates, also continue to see a boom in participation.
Personal trainers can leverage such findings from Flex Fitness and Insurance Canopy by widening their offerings, introducing a small group Pilates class and encouraging participants to bring a friend.
Having a workout buddy does more than keep fitness consumers committed; it’s an effective way for fitness trainers to attract new clients. According to Insurance Canopy, clients still prefer good old-fashioned word-of-mouth recommendations when looking for a trainer. In fact, the insurance carrier revealed that its personal trainers get most of their clients (84%) from referrals and networking (19%), outpacing print and social media marketing efforts.
Supporting Personal Trainers
Personal trainer responsibilities have evolved beyond weight loss. Technology has also changed the landscape, leaving some fitness experts wondering how best to serve a growing clientbase who use continuous glucose monitors.
According to recent findings by Canopy Insurance, some of the most requested duties of personal trainers are personal wellness coaching and strength training (tied at 31%), muscle gain and weight loss support (also tied at 13%) and motivation (6%). An additional 3% are looking for mobility/flexibility training. Gen Z and Millennials are particularly interested in retaining the services of personal fitness and wellness experts.
While there are several certification options, the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) (28%) is the most popular certified personal training certification, according to Insurance Canopy’s survey. Following NASM is ACE (25%), ISSA (19%) and ACSM (16%).
NASM recently launched two new course offerings to better prepare personal trainers, one of which allows them to participate in a wellness coaching simulation that provides real-time feedback from a mentor.
Educational courses give personal trainers an edge against the competition and keeps them up-to-date on the latest initiatives and trends, but gyms can also find ways to support and attract top trainers.
Crunch Signature, the gym operator’s premium facilities, is investing in Ride, its indoor cycling class, integrating Struct Club, a programming platform and app for fitness studios and instructors. The partnership introduces a certification program for Ride instructors to learn music programming techniques based on behavioral research — the kind that will maximize attendance.
“Today’s consumer expectations are higher than ever,” Struct Club founder and CEO Amira Polack said. “Impeccable quality, unique experiences and freshness have become table stakes – every class, every coach, every time. Adjacent hospitality sectors to fitness have tapped into tech that enables client-facing employees to ‘wow’ customers, but fitness is behind. Together, Struct Club and Crunch Signature are making it easier than ever for group exercise instructors to lead the pack.”
Zumba is also giving its dance fitness instructors a new opportunity following a partnership with digital health platform Noom. The news was announced at Zincon, Zumba’s 15th annual instructor convention, and it gives Zumba instructors a pathway to become a Noom Mindset Coach.
“At Zumba, we are committed to empowering people to live healthier, happier lives through the joy of dance and fitness,” Zumba CEO Alberto Perlman said. “Beyond this, we are always looking for ways to support our instructors and give them access to growth opportunities.”
Both Rowley and Perlman are two of ATN’s Power Players. See the full list here.
