Curating a workout program that motivates and retains my members
Retention of members is crucial for boutique gyms and studios in ensuring the longevity of your business. Focusing your business towards retention is likely to bring about cost savings and subsequently, higher profits. With the ever-changing fitness landscape, the idea of having a long-term commitment to one particular studio or workout routine has become increasingly unappealing to members. Hence, it is even more important to keep your members through thoughtful curation of your studio’s workout programs.
Some of the main issues faced when retaining members include the lack of progress and motivation in workout programs. Hence, it is important to curate or personalize a workout program based on one’s ability and needs. This program will have to be challenging enough to push clients and members out of their comfort zone, yet doable on a weekly basis. Some of the most important key features of a successful workout routine will include:
Consistency
In order to obtain your fitness goals, the key is to put in consistent hard work into the everyday routine. Remember to encourage your members to hold each other accountable so they would not miss out on any days! It is also important for beginners to start slow and gain momentum along the way in order to stay consistent. One popular fitness personality Pamela Reif does this well, here’s an example of a beginner friendly workout program to help beginners get started.
Rest Days
This is an important part of your program when you take a break from your regular workout routine. Rest days allow your muscles to recover and repair from all the damages they have sustained during your training, helping to prevent injuries in the future.
Active Recovery
This is a workout that is performed at a lower intensity and resistance which is meant for you to recover well from your intensive training. It is important to allocate active recovery days in your workout routine as it helps to reduce soreness and also keeps the momentum going. In Kayla Itsines’ 28-day bodyweight challenge, it is incorporated with LISS (low-intensity steady-state exercise) which includes walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and dancing. This allows you to take a break from the rigorous workouts but still remain active at the same time.
Variety of workouts
Workouts with different movements will help to reduce burnouts, as well as injuries. It should also constantly challenge members, ensuring consistent progress in their fitness journey. Instructors could also attend other classes by various instructors for workouts inspiration. Check out Blogilates’ 21 Day Tone Challenge with a wide variety of workout videos on a weekly basis!
By curating a workout program with a variety of movements, adequate amount of rest, and active recovery, it will help to ensure that your members remain consistent and motivated for a long period of time. Besides the factors mentioned above, it is also crucial to fully utilise your resources in your gym and studios. You can always figure out various ways to put your equipment to good use, introducing new movements to your members in order to keep things interesting and fresh. At the same time, you should also ensure that realistic goals are set for your members and celebrate their milestones! It is crucial to use such checkpoints or fitness metrics to record and track members’ progress. Lastly, ensure that your classes have good instructor-to-student ratios so that all members receive appropriate amounts of attention during the workout. It will also help to retain members when you provide extra value in addition to the workout program through the provision of meal plans, recipes, as well as training tips!