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OT Workout Crew - Would you leave your current gym/health club...

Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:14 am
Posted by dnm3305
Member since Feb 2009
13546 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:14 am
...for a strength gym with top of the line equipment. It has been a dream of mine for awhile to open up a gym but I certainly want to offer something unique. A few things have happened recently in my life that may have given me the opportunity to take the leap in a year or so. I know it goes against typical economics and business practice to specifically market yourself to a smaller potential customer base than it is to a mass appeal type of situation like Planet Fitness does. They fricking print money because they have nice selectorized machines and 100 treadmills and because they don't cater towards true lifters, which is where my gym would come in. I know most people just want to go into a gym and put their 30 mins on a treadmill/nautilus equipment with light weight training in and get out. But I also know that there are always some hardcore lifters in almost every gym that compromise on the way they truly want to workout (lift heavy shite, perhaps get loud (not my style, but I get it), get chalk on the ground and not worry about it, listen to any kind of music at any volume, be around other like minded people that like to train hardcore, etc). I feel that in my area (outskirts of Lafayette) there isn't anything offered like that. My gym would offer...

3-4 Rogue Monster Power Racks with Monolifts for squatting and benching
2-3 Rogue Monster Squat Stands
1 Rogue Mono Squat Stand
2-3 Deadlift/Olympic platforms
10+ Rogue Ohio Power/Deadlift Bars & Olympic Bars
1 Elitefts Competition Bench Press
5+ Rogue Flat/Adjustable Benches
1 Rogue GHD
Olympic Plates, Bumpers Plates and Standard York Iron plates
1 Lat/Low Row Selectorized Cable system
Complete Dumbbell Rack from 5-150 lbs
Plyo Boxes, Oly Rings, Ropes, Bands, and other accessory conditioning
2-3 Rowers, 2-3 Aerodyne Bikes, 1-2 Treadmills
Chalk buckets everywhere
A great atmosphere to train and get shite done in
Reasonable price ($50/month?) to compete with other more traditional health clubs

A major financial benefit from investing in strictly old school style strength gear is that you can outfit an entire gym for a fraction of the cost as you would be able to with Body Masters or Hammer Strength style bodybuilding equipment. One Hammer Strength Chest Press machine is $3k brand new. I can buy 3 top of the line power racks for that.

What are some other ideas you would like to see that would you draw you towards this type of place?

What are some negatives aside from limited clientele base that Im not considering?


Posted by GEAUXT
Member since Nov 2007
29205 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:15 am to
You're doing all this for the gay sex, right?
Posted by Swagga
504
Member since Dec 2009
16108 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:17 am to
Only if I can use the power racks / squat stands for bicep curls.
Posted by jennyjones
New Orleans Saints Fan
Member since Apr 2006
9300 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:20 am to
quote:

What are some negatives aside from limited clientele base that Im not considering?


quote:

(outskirts of Lafayette)


Proximity to Red's


Very much like the concept though

This post was edited on 4/28/16 at 8:22 am
Posted by CockHolliday
Columbia, SC
Member since Dec 2012
4515 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:22 am to
If you're only going to have 1-2 treadmills then why have any at all?
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
102962 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:26 am to
Get ready to lose your arse. You need to do economic studies on gym profitability. You make money on the people who don't show up. Not the people who do.

You want to make money with a smaller strength gym you better be an awesome personal trainer because that is where you will have to make your money.
Posted by SabiDojo
Open to any suggestions.
Member since Nov 2010
83924 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:31 am to
Marketing and brand identity are your only chances of making it

You have to put your "Orange Theory" spin on it. Even then, your chances of success are slim.
Posted by dnm3305
Member since Feb 2009
13546 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:33 am to
quote:

You make money on the people who don't show up


Yea, that makes sense.

So youre saying you wouldn't leave your current setup for something like this then Im assuming?
Posted by BabyTac
Austin, TX
Member since Jun 2008
12051 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:34 am to
InB4 I have a home gym
Posted by dnm3305
Member since Feb 2009
13546 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:35 am to
quote:

If you're only going to have 1-2 treadmills then why have any at all?


Guys/Gals who want to do a little conditioning, cut/prep for a meet, etc. Im thinking of possibly having more or none at all.
Posted by SabiDojo
Open to any suggestions.
Member since Nov 2010
83924 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:36 am to
quote:

So youre saying you wouldn't leave your current setup for something like this then Im assuming?


Is it cheaper than 20 bucks per month?
Posted by Artie Rome
Hwy 1
Member since Jul 2014
8757 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:36 am to
quote:

Yea, that makes sense.


I would not leave the Y for this. I never have a problem getting in the racks or getting a bench. And I can swim or ride a bike.

And I can look at the very few bitches while I do these things.

Posted by dnm3305
Member since Feb 2009
13546 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:36 am to
quote:

You're doing all this for the gay sex, right?


No, that would be the hidden bathroom cams. Hopefully I can pull a couple of the old guys that love to blow dry their balls from the thread yesterday. That's my thing...
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
24120 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:37 am to
What's the upfront cost of that equipment? Rent for the space?

Pretty easy to model the financials on this.
Posted by Sparkplug#1
Member since May 2013
7352 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:39 am to
I'd like to see a dark dirty gym with old equipment open up in my area. I want feel like Rocky again.
Posted by dnm3305
Member since Feb 2009
13546 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:39 am to
quote:

Is it cheaper than 20 bucks per month?


No, it probably wouldn't be. Are you paying $20 a month for a gym that has multiple power racks? Not being a dick, I really want to know. I pay $28 with Blue Cross discount for my current Anytime membership. There is 1 power rack and 1 squat rack with two barbells in the entire place. I would assume that is most on here's current setup.
Posted by Paddyshack
Land of the Free
Member since Sep 2015
8177 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:40 am to
You really need to do your research and due diligence before starting up something like this. Otherwise, you will lose your arse.

quote:

Reasonable price ($50/month?)


Yeah, I would never just "pick a reasonable price". You need to have some idea of how long it will take to recuperate your costs and make it a profitable venture. This is what should dictate your price, along with what your competitors in the area charge.
Posted by AbitaFan08
Boston, MA
Member since Apr 2008
26532 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:41 am to
Not reading all of that, but no. I wouldn't. I like my gym.
Posted by CptRusty
Basket of Deplorables
Member since Aug 2011
11740 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:45 am to
Reds is always going to be the spot in Lafayette. There may be some hardcore lifters who would swap, but youre talking about a very small number of people.

i get that youre passionate about lifting, but it has to be a business first, which means appealing to a large group of people.

i want to do a similar thing with a high end car wash and detailing business, but i know that in order to make it economically viable i would have to crank out hundreds of "standard" washes every week. the real estate where i would open such a place (or similarly where you would put your gym) is quite expensive. gotta take care of that overhead somehow.
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
102962 posts
Posted on 4/28/16 at 8:46 am to
For this to make sense you need to fill.your calendar with personal training sessions. There are far less sheep out there looking to get strong AF than those jumping on group fitness bandwagon like x fit and other programs.

If you want to open a gym in a year or two you better start training people now and build up enough clients to pay your bills before the gym opens.
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