Tina RothWe have all been there. Knee-deep in work all through the week, hitting the gym for some quick rounds of squat and bench press was possible only during the weekends. The problem is our unwavering commitment to workout didn’t stop the gymrats from calling us weekend warriors, often derogatorily.
You may not consider this a problem if you are thick-skinned. But the skyward increase in gym membership fee is indeed a problem – for both thick and thin skinned. I think all weekend athletes, at some point, wonder whether the gym membership is paying them off in terms of ROI.
Many rely on free workout plans. But graduate schools eliminating gym-membership from the list of recreational activities and similar developments are making it even harder for them to attend a gym.
Here are three fitness hacks for all those weekend athletes who cannot afford expensive gym membership:
Attend a low-cost gym
Low-cost gyms are fast becoming popular. In the UK, they are often dubbed as budget gyms. Because of low-cost gyms, membership there has gone through the roof. According to private estimates, there are nearly 10 million new budget gym members in the UK from low to middle income demographics.
Low-cost gyms are more flexible than high-end gyms. A convincing reason behind this is high-end gyms typically target people who are financially well-off. Because such demographic turnouts are always low, budget gyms have enough soil to grow. Since the membership fee is low, weekend athletes won’t feel the bite in their wallets.
In the US, low-cost gyms are known by many names. One of them is “Discount Gyms.” Reports indicate such gyms are exploding both in terms of footfalls and popularity. All types of modern equipment – cables and pulleys, squat station, treadmills and cardio machines are found in low-cost gyms, which means low-cost doesn’t translate to poor infrastructure and setup.
Discount gyms normally don’t require their members to sign contract – another rewarding proposition for weekend athletes. Finding one could be a bit troublesome as 50 large gyms currently control 30% of the market.
Digital personal trainer
Fitness trainers have begun to recognize the potential of Internet. Going online can increase their outreach and fetch more business. Weekend athletes can benefit from it as they can attend a full-fledged gym session right from the convenience of their homes.
If the trainer has a YouTube channel, gym enthusiasts can download basic gym instructions without having to pay a dime. Most trainers offer free advice for promotional purposes – advanced courses come with price tags. But even then, it’s a viable option for weekend athletes because of reasons listed below:
- Weekend athletes are mostly millennials. Fitness clubs prefer customers from this demographic for their purchasing power and equal distribution of preference between the product and the experience.
- Millennials use Smartphones 24/7. Smartphones are their default gateway for media consumption. It’s easy for them to access online content via their devices. On the part of trainers, they can design mobile-friendly workout sessions. It’s a win-win situation for both.
Because digital training programs are customizable, trainers can feature weekend-based subscription plans, allowing weekend athletes to have their cakes and eat them too.
Mobile gyms
Mobile gym is based on a noble idea but it has very few adopters, even among the millennials, the demographic group that is hailed as early adopters of new trends and technologies. The idea deserves large-scale adoption and implementation, which are visible but the pace is slow.
Mobile gym pampers weekend athletes. The gym owners can bring the whole fitness regimen to customers’ doorstep. They travel on large trailer-trucks. The trucks are full of conventional and updated fitness equipment. Customers only need to call them and inform them where they need to show up. They’d show up quickly after receiving the call and deliver a full-on gym experience, along with trendy equipment. Whether it’s a large grassy terrain, an abandoned area or a business district frequented by guys wearing pressed suits, mobile gym can be set up anywhere and everywhere.
This means weekend athletes won’t have to visit anywhere to lift weight. Rather, weightlifting will come to his place of choice on a short notice. There are things money can’t buy and convenience is one of those things. Mobile gyms offer convenience. Two other benefits besides that are saving money on transportation and one-on-one session with the trainer. Both are lofty propositions for a weekend athlete.
Summing up
When people enroll in gym-membership programs, they expect experienced trainers and state-of-the-art workout machines. The expectations are not always met. For weekend athletes, the stakes are even higher as they are not regular gym goers.
The three hacks mentioned above increase an athlete’s chances of availing quality gym experience and at the same time, allow him to save money. He’d get what he pays for, and rest assured he won’t pay an exorbitant amount.
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