We get this question all the time. There are numerous big box gyms popping up all around us and we are 3-5x more expensive for just a general membershp! Why?
In world of gyms you have a few different models. There are high volume/low cost models and lower volume/ Niche gyms. Each have benefits.
Big Box gyms have a shot gun approach and try and attract a little bit of everyone. They are going for the top of the bell shaped curve. Many need to attract 10,000 or more members, and in doing so can offer very low membership rates. It is great if you are on a budget. These gyms are the Walmart approach to fitness. If you want to buy certain things, Walmart is great! The variety and price they offer is unbeatable. if you want top of the line clothing or furniture,or if you want to ask the staff specific questions on products or a project you are working on they are not going to be your best choice. These types of gyms put themselves in the shop by price category and turn their model into a commodity.
Smaller gyms usually have a niche, and aren’t looking for thousands of members. Many have specializations like powerlifting, personal training, weight loss and nutrtition, or conditioning. Usually they have highly trained staff that understand training, physiology, and nutrition at a much higher level. They have specialty equipment geared towards a smaller market. In doing so many smaller gyms have hundreds, not thousands of members.
You usually don’t have to wait to get on equipment be cause some guy is curling in the squat rack. The smaller niche gym usually attarcts a more focused crowd that cares about training and values that setting. You won’t find seas of treadmills but you will have everything you need.