Fitness companies expect usual traffic growth this January after COVID-19 halted normal business last year.
Fondren Fitness in Jackson opened in August 2019 and is locally owned and operated by local people. Terry Sullivan, the gym’s general manager, said the gym had a great fall and winter of 2019 with a great, normal start to the year before the pandemic hit. The gym was completely closed for two months, resulting in Fondren Fitness not yet having a normal year of operation.
“We fired at full blast and then had to shut down, and we’ve since rebuilt — facing many of the same challenges that other companies face,” Sullivan said. “We’re getting there.”
It is common in the fitness industry for January to be the busiest month of the year as people commit to New Year’s resolutions. However, the past two years have been anything but normal, giving Sullivan hope and hope for a normal start to 2022 for the gym business.
“Nobody really knows, and from my conversations with other gym managers and trainers, everyone is hoping for a good January because we just haven’t seen one in a couple of years, and that’s the industry standard,” Sullivan said. “That’s when you get a lot out of your new business, so we expect and hope for that.”
Before COVID-19 cases surged, Fondren Fitness saw a 40% increase in traffic and a 30% increase in membership in December and January. Sullivan said he believes people are ready to return to normal, realizing that a healthier body gives one a healthier immune system to withstand the COVID-19 outbreaks.
“Everybody put on the COVID-19 15 (pounds) instead of the freshman 15,” Sullivan said. “We’ve all started not exercising as much, eating a little more and drinking a little more to cope with things. People need to get back into their routine and hit the reset button in January. This is what we all use as a yearly time to unwind and get back in shape.”
Greg Centilli, executive director of Madison HealthPlex, said he also believes people have become more health conscious and aware of the importance of their health because of the pandemic, and that will show when business picks up again in the new year.
“We talk about it all the time, that your health is your wealth, and being able to maintain your health gives you the opportunity to move on and do everything else in your life,” Centilli said. “It’s really about getting people involved and educating them about health, wellness and nutrition and getting them to make it an active part of your day. We try to put people where it’s part of their day and not something you skip or push into the background when you’re busy. It’s something you have to fit into your day and schedule.”
The Madison Healthplex sees between 500 and 1,000 new members in the first quarter of the year, which includes January, February and March. The gym currently has about 3,300 members. Centelli said it’s a national trend and these are the months of the greatest growth in fitness, especially this year due to the pandemic.
“Last year was a little unstable,” said Centilli. “This year and in the future, I think the influx of people who have died will increase our attendance. Especially when all the research and everything is pointing to the fact that many of the COVID-19 deaths are related to fitness and how big of a benefit you have – maintaining fitness and diet.”
According to Centilli, the gym gains all of its new members during the first quarter of the year, its most profitable quarter. From there it’s a retention game for the rest of the year.
“Our bond here is phenomenal (compared to the national average),” Centilli said. “Our cancellations are three to four percent, that’s really little, but the number of visitors is falling. When the time changes and it is lighter for longer and the weather changes, your evening customers go outside again and the sport begins again. You’re pretty good at predicting your year what’s going to happen.”
Believing in a bright future, Fondren Fitness bought additional building space to convert part of the gymnasium into studios for group classes. In January this year, the studio section will officially open and Sullivan said they are excited about the expansion.
Sullivan said that although most people don’t cancel their memberships, commitment to the workout fades after the New Year. However, there are tips he has for keeping the momentum in your fitness routine.
“The biggest thing is when you’re struggling to stick to a routine and you get a good few weeks and then you fall off the cliff, have a training and accountability partner – whether it’s a spouse or friend or someone you love meet at the gym,” Sullivan said. “If you realize you’re going to have problems, it’s good to have someone to hold you accountable.”
He said that accountability partner can also be a personal trainer, which they offer in three or six month programs.
“If you hire this trainer, you’ll be going to the gym longer than you otherwise would,” Sullivan said. “It’s a good way to invest in your future health.”
The second suggestion Sullivan said for staying consistent in the gym is to remember that it’s always okay to start over.
“If you fail on the first try, don’t let it derail your entire year,” Sullivan said. “It seems like what happens – people get really excited and then something happens and they get sick or they go out of town and then they come back and they can’t regain momentum. So just allow yourself to start over.”
Sullivan said to just hit the reset button and get up, go to the gym and try again.
