How Your Gym Can Benefit from Group Exercise Classes

Group exercise classes can often be considered a “necessary evil” to gym owners. While they create community and keep members entering your doors, they also can be time consuming and costly in the long run. As a gym owner, you must consider the paying of instructors, the time used to promote the class, managing members satisfaction, etc., along with the fact that most classes are offered free of charge for members. 

There are obviously plenty of positives from the actual workout side to group exercise classes. They provide a community within your gym and can lead to your members living a fit and healthy lifestyle, which is the true goal. However, you may find these classes don’t provide a ton of financial value in the long run.

So, with all these potential downsides, how do you make your group exercise classes more cost-effective? In this post, we will be discussing ways to make your group exercise program more cost-effective and thriving long term.

1. Hire Independent Contractors as Instructors

This is common throughout the country. Hiring independent contractors creates less stress on the owners as they carry their own insurance, certifications and are independent from the gym ownership. Depending on the style of class and the instructor’s expertise, this could also give you the opportunity to require a payment for each class to bring in revenue. 

2. Teach Specialty/“Pop-Up Classes”

In the group exercise world, it’s always important to keep things fresh and change things up occasionally. Maybe you host a “Turkey burn” bootcamp class on Thanksgiving morning and make it open for the public at $5 per person. It may or may not pan out, but it at least gives you some extra income and makes up for paying your instructor. 

3. Cross Promote with Personal Training 

It’s always important to use your classes to promote other programs you offer, such as personal training. Create an incentive, such as (3 personal training sessions for $99) for those who frequently attend. Most people take classes because they struggle with exercising on their own. This can be a perfect opportunity for them to do personal training and compliment what they may be missing out on from their weekly classes. 

4. Sublease Classes to Private Companies 

This is similar to hiring an independent contractor, however, it would include a little more work on the owner's end, at least with structuring the contract. Maybe there’s a popular cycle studio in the area that partners with you to run their classes in your space. This can not only bring in revenue for you as the owner through the cycle studio paying a fee to use your space, but it also can get new people in the door, which could lead to memberships.

5. Renting Space to Local Businesses 

One way to promote your brand is to branch out of the main corridors of your facility and take your classes to local businesses, schools, events, etc. One example of how you can do this is by teaching a pop-up yoga class at a local athletic clothing store or community center, etc. in your area. Charge $5-10 per person and see what kind of turnout you get. This not only creates partnerships with other local businesses and brings in a little bit of revenue, but also gives you more marketing opportunities to get your name out there.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, group exercise classes can be difficult to a gym owner as they don’t bring in a ton of revenue and can be costly in the long term when paying instructors, keeping members satisfied, marketing/ promoting, etc. However, there are a few ways for gym owners to take advantage of local instructors and partner with businesses in the area to help make revenue off their classes.

Overall, the most important way to run a successful group exercise program is to hire quality instructors, offer classes that fit your membership demographic and at popular time slots, and continue to promote your brand and create a community amongst your members. It’s not an easy process, but not impossible to benefit from.