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“Who exactly seeks out a coach?…. Winner’s who want even more out of life.” -Chicago Tribune
Why does CrossFit cost so much? Planet Fitness is $20/mo.
This is a common question that I hear frequently. And one that you might have yourself. The answer is the difference between coaching and access. The business models of most large chain gyms and smaller, more personal gyms is vastly different. Why are 24-hour gyms so much cheaper than something like CrossFit, where you as the member have to be there at a specific time? Because most of the big box gyms (you know which ones I am talking about, rows of treadmills, every amenity under the sun, cardio movie room, 24-hour access) are there to provide you access to equipment. They are not overly concerned if you get results or even if you show up. They are not providing you any direction or coaching. They are merely giving you the opportunity to use their equipment. It is up to you to figure out how to use that equipment. This business model is focused on having A LOT of low paying members that hopefully DON’T show up. Don’t believe me? Listen to this podcast from NPR here. The idea is to staff these gyms with relatively low trained and low paid employees who are basically there to enforce the gym’s policies on equipment use and sign up new members. The fact is, for most of these gyms IF every member showed up to train for one hour a day and the gym was open for 10 hours, these gyms would not have the room to hold all of their members. They are LITERALLY banking on their members not showing up!
We are constantly lured by the idea of more. If I just had more access to the gym. I need more equipment. I need to workout more, so I can eat more. More features, more options, more, more, more. And when more meets cheap it is irresistible. Great business model, not a great fitness model. Because the problem is not access, the problem is action. Nothing moves until we move. Nothing changes until we change. And change is stinking hard!
Let’s take a close look at the difference between Access v Coaching.
Access: Cheap, no commitment, easy, limited results.
Coaching: Valuable, commitment needed, challenging, rewarding, accountability, education, change, results
I would like to present an alternate perspective. We as a culture have never before had more access to fitness. Between 24 hour gyms, every gadget and gizmo, free online workouts, and fitness DVD’s we still are not making a big change in the trajectory of the health of our nation. Why? Because we are not failing for lack of information or access to information (ie. gym equipment). We are failing because we do not know how to apply the information. There a million fitness options and we do not know where to start. There are over 35,000 gyms in the US alone. How many people who have access to a 24-hour gym don’t go? A LOT! Somewhere along the journey, we have been confused that knowledge/access/information is all we need to make a change. What we really need is wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge applied. What we need is guidance/experience/coaching. We need someone who can help us sort out all the options and help us make the next best decision. Someone who can collaborate with us to help us make progress toward our goals, faster than by ourselves. Could you figure it out on your own? Yes, maybe…. Most likely not and it would definitely take you much longer. That’s what the statistics say. I write this from the perspective of someone who has a coach. I have invested time/money/pride in seeking out coaches. Coaches for fitness/business/life and have seen the payoff.
At Whole Strength, we coach each of our members to help them achieve their fitness goals! Are you ready to quit spinning your wheels and make progress? Ready to commit, make a change and see results? You know where to find us!
Coach Ryan[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ready to start your journey towards better health? The first step is to book yourself in for a FREE No Sweat Intro. All you need to do is CLICK HERE and complete the form.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]