The great thing about group exercise studios is that they require very little kit: it’s a simple formula and inexpensive to roll out. Added to this, group exercise has a universal appeal thanks to the camaraderie it builds, with members who do group exercise also more likely to remain with a health club than a gym-only exerciser. No surprise, then, that operators are starting to investigate the potential of standalone group exercise studios.
Fitness First Middle East is one of the big players to cash in on this trend with a new group exercise-only concept, The Studio by Fitness First. According to group operations and marketing director Mark Botha, the appeal for Fitness First is that these 4,000sq ft facilities can be opened up quickly and slotted into areas where the demographics make a full gym inviable.
So are group exercise-only facilities set to become a lasting trend, or will they just be a passing fad? Will the likes of Zumba lose their allure, or will the popularity of these studios in fact ensure there is constant innovation in group exercise programming?
Could this even be the key to pushing up the industry’s market penetration, as people who are put off the idea of a full gym membership might commit to taking part in a group exercise class once or twice a week? Or will traditional gyms lose members who joined primarily for the exercise classes?
The trend may even encourage gyms to revise their own internal group exercise model, charging booking fees to reserve a place in busy classes for example – as at New York cycling club SoulCycle – or even creating a boutique, added-fee area within the club.
Will we start to see some of the big names going into towns which would be too small for a full gym, but which could support a studio, or will it be entrepreneurs who drive the trend? We ask the experts for their thoughts.