The era of the commercial gym is over

[MAXX]

as if a Power rack, bench and a set of weights is expensive….


gym membership over a year cost more

[Primemuscle]

The $10.00 a month gyms are not going anywhere.

The more expensive gyms may be more affected, as people now realize even more that you don’t need an expensive gym to stay in shape.

Actually, a lot of folks might disagree. They do need a gym expensive or otherwise to stay in shape. If they are actually working out at home during the shutdown it is because they currently have no other choice.

[harmankardon1]

Some small operations and barely profitable locations will close.

Gyms as a whole are not going anywhere, once everybody milks this nonsense situation for what they want from it, it'll be over and forgotten.

[Primemuscle]

Some small operations and barely profitable locations will close.

Gyms as a whole are not going anywhere, once everybody milks this nonsense situation for what they want from it, it'll be over and forgotten.

I mostly agree with what you've posted here. What I have trouble with is that you seem to believe it is possible for the whole world to be duped at once. I've read that the collective mind can be a powerful thing, but to think this is what we are dealing with here seems far-fetched.

[Vince B]

We closed our gym three years ago. If we still had a gym it would be well and truly over now.

In the last 10 years in Australia we have had American chains open here such as Anytime Fitness. Well, equipment companies worked with

people who wanted a franchise by lending them $250,000 to set up the gym. That means you have to pay a monthly fee for the loan.

That obligation exists even if you have to close. Then the landlord wants his rent. Signs have to paid for and so on. A high investment, low return business.

People who own several gyms are really going to suffer financially. Seems to me many of these gyms will fail, be sold or liquidated. Very sad times

for the gym business and those involved. All the staff are mostly unemployed now which is awful. How do they pay their bills?

There has to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Two or three months might be survivable but longer than that spells doom for these businesses.

By the way, same thing goes for restaurants and other small businesses. Total disaster for most.

[harmankardon1]

I mostly agree with what you've posted here. What I have trouble with is that you seem to believe it is possible for the whole world to be duped at once. I've read that the collective mind can be a powerful thing, but to think this is what we are dealing with here seems far-fetched.

I'm not saying the virus isn't real, just that it's over exaggerated....

this all started from a place of genuine concern that this virus could be a real threat to the masses, but now it has become clear that this is not the case and that mortality is actually low (we will see mortality rate come to close to flu levels as the data eventually rights itself).

So now we have a situation where everybody is playing it out getting what they want, states are starting to politic regarding reopening, the anti trumps are all trying prolong the shutdown then use the resulting economic damage as ammunition to get him out at the election, the leftists are trying to gain control over individual liberties, the media will continue to attempt fear mongering for ratings.... etc etc

The cdc recommendations on attributing death to coronavirus are a farce and imo are a deliberate effort to overstate an already low mortality rate of this virus. And don't say "oh but it's 3% mortality" that's way off, there are hundreds of thousands of undiagnosed cases in the USA right now, who have the sniffels or no symptoms, while due to cdc the death rate is being overstated.

[oldtimer1]

We are fans of pro bodybuilding so our views are warped. We think we need four exercises per body part which requires a ton of various equipment. In truth  to get 100% of improving your athletic potential you need very little equipment. To reach your bodybuilding potential you can reach 90% of it with limited equipment and some may argue it's closer to 95%.

If you train three times a week your whole body with one exercise or two a body part you have everything. To achieve this you need a simple gym like a barbell, squat rack and a maybe a chin up bar. Guys with limited space can do it on a postage stamp of space with something like powerblocks/ironmaster with a bench with a chin up/dip attachment you can achieve amazing results.

Just think of just a FEW of the exercises you can do with just dumbbells in your bed room.

1. One arm power dumbbell dumbbell snatch 3 x 3 (power)

2. Dumbbell squat 2 x 12 (dumbbell at sides with straps. Don't  deadlift the weight. Sink your ass down with an upright back)
3. Dumbbell lunges 2 x 12
4. Dumbbell stiff leg deads 2 x 15

5. Pull ups 2 x 8
6. Dumbbell rows 2 x 10

7. Dumbbell flat bench 2 x 8
8. Incline dumbbell bench 2 x 8
9. Dumbbell flies 2 x 10

10. Dumbbell shoulder press 2 x 8
11. Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10
12. Dumbbell rear delt raise 2 x 10

13. Dips 2 x 10
14. One arm tricep dumbbell extensions 2 x 10
15. lying flat two arm dumbbell extensions 2 x 10

15. Two arm dumbbell curls  2x 10
16. alternate dumbbell curls 2 x 10
17. concentration curls 2 x 10

18. various ab work

19. Single leg calf raise.

20. neck work


Naturally a barbell can have their own list. Just trying to say by listing a few exercises is that you can do real bodybuilding with very little equipment just like so many guys did in the 50's when most trained in their bedrooms, garages, and basements. How many great fighters did just body weight stuff? Many world champs in Wrestling, MMA and boxing never even touch weights. They are busy doing stuff like running, push ups, chin and dips. Truth be told in my life time some of the most incredible athletes are body weight exercise guys. Saw an abandoned play ground in the hood and I never seen so many ripped black guys doing body weigh stuff. The rich town a couple of miles away had a gym and very few looked like those guys.

[SOMEPARTS]

I am sure about Planet Fitness.  If it is not the biggest gym franchise in the country, I'd be surprised.  At a minimum, it has to be the fastest growing gym franchise.

Anytime Fitness has more locations than Planet Fitness - of course at least around here the Anytime Fitness locations are very small so it's not really an even comparison.

Both easily eclipse the number of Bally and Nautilus chains of the old days...probably the 24 Hour Fitness and LA Fitness do as well at this point.

[Teutonic Knight 1]

Who cares if U live in a warm climate, use free outdoor gym , councils will build more of them.

There is more & more jogging girls too  ...............

[Humble Narcissist]

We are fans of pro bodybuilding so our views are warped. We think we need four exercises per body part which requires a ton of various equipment. In truth  to get 100% of improving your athletic potential you need very little equipment. To reach your bodybuilding potential you can reach 90% of it with limited equipment and some may argue it's closer to 95%.

If you train three times a week your whole body with one exercise or two a body part you have everything. To achieve this you need a simple gym like a barbell, squat rack and a maybe a chin up bar. Guys with limited space can do it on a postage stamp of space with something like powerblocks/ironmaster with a bench with a chin up/dip attachment you can achieve amazing results.

Just think of just a FEW of the exercises you can do with just dumbbells in your bed room.

1. One arm power dumbbell dumbbell snatch 3 x 3 (power)

2. Dumbbell squat 2 x 12 (dumbbell at sides with straps. Don't  deadlift the weight. Sink your ass down with an upright back)
3. Dumbbell lunges 2 x 12
4. Dumbbell stiff leg deads 2 x 15

5. Pull ups 2 x 8
6. Dumbbell rows 2 x 10

7. Dumbbell flat bench 2 x 8
8. Incline dumbbell bench 2 x 8
9. Dumbbell flies 2 x 10

10. Dumbbell shoulder press 2 x 8
11. Dumbbell laterals 2 x 10
12. Dumbbell rear delt raise 2 x 10

13. Dips 2 x 10
14. One arm tricep dumbbell extensions 2 x 10
15. lying flat two arm dumbbell extensions 2 x 10

15. Two arm dumbbell curls  2x 10
16. alternate dumbbell curls 2 x 10
17. concentration curls 2 x 10

18. various ab work

19. Single leg calf raise.

20. neck work


Naturally a barbell can have their own list. Just trying to say by listing a few exercises is that you can do real bodybuilding with very little equipment just like so many guys did in the 50's when most trained in their bedrooms, garages, and basements. How many great fighters did just body weight stuff? Many world champs in Wrestling, MMA and boxing never even touch weights. They are busy doing stuff like running, push ups, chin and dips. Truth be told in my life time some of the most incredible athletes are body weight exercise guys. Saw an abandoned play ground in the hood and I never seen so many ripped black guys doing body weigh stuff. The rich town a couple of miles away had a gym and very few looked like those guys.

This.  Before the 1960's there were very few gyms and almost everyone who worked out worked out at home.  I always enjoyed working out at home anyway.  There is no reason to work out at a gym unless you want to make a spectacle of yourself throwing weights around or looking at the narcissistic females wearing high heels and skimpy clothing shaking their asses in their mating ritual to attract males.

Do like the old time martial arts masters and train in secret.  Women are attracted to men who have attractive physiques but "don't know it."   Just lift and don't talk about it to anyone and your physique is much more impressive.

[Dokey111]

This.  Before the 1960's there were very few gyms and almost everyone who worked out worked out at home.  I always enjoyed working out at home anyway.  There is no reason to work out at a gym unless you want to make a spectacle of yourself throwing weights around or looking at the narcissistic females wearing high heels and skimpy clothing shaking their asses in their mating ritual to attract males.

Do like the old time martial arts masters and train in secret.  Women are attracted to men who have attractive physiques but "don't know it."   Just lift and don't talk about it to anyone and your physique is much more impressive.

um... yes?

[MAXX]

just get creative like JCVD

[Sissysquats]

Wonder why that is. What does Planet Fitness have to offer that the other two don't?

  They are “non judgmental” that and they have pizza and bagels 😂

[IroNat]

  They are “non judgmental” that and they have pizza and bagels 😂

Who decides what the pizza toppings are?

That's sounds judgemental to me.

[Primemuscle]

I'm not saying the virus isn't real, just that it's over exaggerated....

this all started from a place of genuine concern that this virus could be a real threat to the masses, but now it has become clear that this is not the case and that mortality is actually low (we will see mortality rate come to close to flu levels as the data eventually rights itself).

So now we have a situation where everybody is playing it out getting what they want, states are starting to politic regarding reopening, the anti trumps are all trying prolong the shutdown then use the resulting economic damage as ammunition to get him out at the election, the leftists are trying to gain control over individual liberties, the media will continue to attempt fear mongering for ratings.... etc etc

The cdc recommendations on attributing death to coronavirus are a farce and imo are a deliberate effort to overstate an already low mortality rate of this virus. And don't say "oh but it's 3% mortality" that's way off, there are hundreds of thousands of undiagnosed cases in the USA right now, who have the sniffels or no symptoms, while due to cdc the death rate is being overstated.

I want to go back to living a regular life. Everybody I know says the same thing. None of us is getting what we want thus far. When you say everybody, you are the one who is exaggerating. Just as not "all" anti Trump's seek to prolong a shut down or are thinking about it in relation to the 2020 election. (BTW, haven't Trump's ratings improved during the shutdown?) Which individual liberties are we in danger losing control over? The news media does what the news media does, which is to report about what is going on.

How do you know the CDC's recommendations are way off? Why is your opinion any more accurate than that of the CDC? You are right about one thing and that is we don't know how many people actually have or have had the novel coronavirus, since some people apparently have little or no symptoms. My guess is that when the CDC reports that the mortality rate is 3% they mean 3% of the known cases. There are no diseases where we know the actual number of those who contract it, i.e. the flu or the common cold. The actual number of people who die from any disease is always going to be a guesstimate.

[SF1900]

I want to go back to living a regular life. Everybody I know says the same thing. None of us is getting what we want thus far. When you say everybody, you are the one who is exaggerating. Just as not "all" anti Trump's seek to prolong a shut down or are thinking about it in relation to the 2020 election. (BTW, haven't Trump's ratings improved during the shutdown?) Which individual liberties are we in danger losing control over? The news media does what the news media does, which is to report about what is going on.

How do you know the CDC's recommendations are way off? Why is your opinion any more accurate than that of the CDC? You are right about one thing and that is we don't know how many people actually have or have had the novel coronavirus since some people apparently have little or no symptoms. My guess is that when the CDC reports that the mortality rate is 3% they mean 3% of the known cases. There are no diseases where we know the actual number of those who contract it, i.e. the flu or the common cold. The actual number of people who die from any disease is always going to be a guesstimate.

I assume that even the number of people who die from the flu is a guesstimate, as many people who die from the flu each year, also have underlying health conditions. Yet, we associate it with the flu.

I mean, that's just standard--the more health conditions you have = greater chance of dying from just about anything (whether it be any type of sickness, etc).

[Primemuscle]

I assume that even the number of people who die from the flu is a guesstimate, as many people who die from the flu each year, also have underlying health conditions. Yet, we associate it with the flu.

I mean, that's just standard--the more health conditions you have = greater chance of dying from just about anything (whether it be any type of sickness, etc).

You assumption is right on.

[SF1900]

You assumption is right on.

I knew an elderly person who contracted the flu an died. Dude had like 29484949 underlying health condition--cause of death: the flu.

[Dave D]

This.  Before the 1960's there were very few gyms and almost everyone who worked out worked out at home.  I always enjoyed working out at home anyway.  There is no reason to work out at a gym unless you want to make a spectacle of yourself throwing weights around or looking at the narcissistic females wearing high heels and skimpy clothing shaking their asses in their mating ritual to attract males.

Do like the old time martial arts masters and train in secret.  Women are attracted to men who have attractive physiques but "don't know it."   Just lift and don't talk about it to anyone and your physique is much more impressive.

We are a long way from the 1960’s bro.

Did you know in the 1800’s most men built great physiques through hard labor AND they stayed covered up too!

Plus they didn’t post selfie’s on instagram!!

[Primemuscle]

I knew an elderly person who contracted the flu an died. Dude had like 29484949 underlying health condition--cause of death: the flu.

I have one question. Is 29484949 an accurate number? 

[SF1900]

I have one question. Is 29484949 an accurate number? 

In the world of getbig, anything is possible.

[BB]

Did you know in the 1800’s most men built great physiques through hard labor AND they stayed covered up too!

Plus they didn’t post selfie’s on instagram!!

I don't know, the thought of posing behind a fig leaf drove them wild -

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Gregzs]

24 Hour Fitness weighs bankruptcy as coronavirus pushes fitness industry to brink


Gym chain 24 Hour Fitness is working with advisors at investment bank Lazard and law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges to weigh options including a bankruptcy that could come as soon as the next few months, people familiar with the matter tell CNBC.

The chain is grappling with a heavy debt load, deteriorating performance and a coronavirus pandemic that forced it to shut its more than 400 clubs. The mid-priced fitness studio is already struggling to compete against premium rivals like Equinox and cheaper competitors like Planet Fitness.

Credit ratings agency Moody’s recently downgraded the chain over worries around its “negative membership trends, very high-interest burden and negative free cash flow prior to the coronavirus outbreak, as well as approaching maturities to provide limited flexibility to manage through the crisis.”

It has an $837 million term loan with a so-called springing maturity in March 2022 and $500 million in unsecured notes maturing in June 2022, if more than a fifth of those notes remain outstanding.

San Ramon, California-based 24 Hour Fitness had roughly $1.5 billion in sales in 2019, and less than $1 million in cash, according to Moody’s. It is controlled by  AEA Investors, which acquired it through a $1.8 billion deal with Fitness Capital Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in 2014.

The people, who requested anonymity because the information is confidential, cautioned that bankruptcy is not definite, and may still be avoided. Spokespeople for Lazard and Weil, Gotshal & Manges as well as 24 Hour Fitness did not respond to requests for comment. AEA declined to comment.

The gym chain is one of many fitness companies that has been under pressure after states ordered they close their doors to help prevent further spread of the virus. 24 Hour Fitness announced on March 16 it was closing all its clubs, later acknowledging the closures may last for “an extended period of time” due to coronavirus.

It has said it would suspend all membership billings effective this week if it was unable to reopen its clubs.

Its struggles are emblematic of broader challenges and questions the fitness industry must face. Even after gyms reopen, mounting unemployment may mute appetite for excess costs like gym membership. There remain questions as to how many people will be comfortable working out in a crowded environment.

“We need to limit indoor activities that are purely recreational, especially those where there are a lot of shared surfaces that can be contaminated,” said former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.  “Bars and gyms fall squarely in that category.”

Many fitness chains have sought to offer at-home options during the pandemic, but it is unclear how many will be able to generate revenue from those options at a scale large enough to compensate for what may be permanently lost gym memberships.

In hopes of securing financial relief, the industry has stepped up its lobbying efforts in recent months, hiring multiple D.C. firms.  Trade group International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is pushing for expanded eligibility under the small business program, business interruption insurance and rent relief.  

The industry scored a victory this past week when the administration said gyms would be among the first to reopen business in a 3-phase plan, provided gyms “adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols.” The recommendation to open gyms before school raised some eyebrows. Trump has invited a number of high-ranking executives to advise him on plans to reopen U.S. businesses, including The Related Companies’ Stephen Ross, which owns Equinox.

A hit to the gym industry comes as private equity investors have poured money into the space, looking to take advantage of recent trends in health. They’ve also sought to find a new industry to invest in, as retail has been roiled. TPG Growth acquired Crunch Fitness last year; L Catterton has a stake in Soul Cycle-owner Equinox; North Capital Partners owns SLT, Barry’s Bootcamp and other brands.  

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/18/24-hour-fitness-weighs-bankruptcy-amid-coronavirus-pandemic.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.PostToFacebook&fbclid=IwAR2xT5xxj_3GuRL6Ate3WItAFHFAjXv-AWmnE_io6IP53Yekl6A5x9iFbx8

[Primemuscle]

This is bad news. 24 Hour Fitness is one of the gyms I prefer working out at. There's one about 3 miles from my house which is closer than any other major gym.

[Hypertrophy]

We are fans of pro bodybuilding so our views are warped. We think we need four exercises per body part which requires a ton of various equipment. In truth  to get 100% of improving your athletic potential you need very little equipment. To reach your bodybuilding potential you can reach 90% of it with limited equipment and some may argue it's closer to 95%.

If you train three times a week your whole body with one exercise or two a body part you have everything. To achieve this you need a simple gym like a barbell, squat rack and a maybe a chin up bar. Guys with limited space can do it on a postage stamp of space with something like powerblocks/ironmaster with a bench with a chin up/dip attachment you can achieve amazing results.

Just think of just a FEW of the exercises you can do with just dumbbells in your bed room.

1. One arm power dumbbell dumbbell snatch 3 x 3 (power)

2. Dumbbell squat 2 x 12 (dumbbell at sides with straps. Don't  deadlift the weight. Sink your ass down with an upright back)
3. Dumbbell lunges 2 x 12
4. Dumbbell stiff leg deads 2 x 15

<snip>

You are so right! A home gym can create an incredible physique. Most chain gyms exist for social reasons.