Strength Gym

[Scaldrew]

How did you find out my Porno stage name?

Ways, means.

I made no such assumption, by the way:

The opening, expansion, and continued success of numerous Starting Strength gyms seems to contradict the idea that no gym can be profitable unless it sells memberships way in excess of the equipment available.

I think you're not wrong that many are changing and that online has something to do with it. Gyms like Barbell Brigade and Super Training would probably be different gyms without the continued vlogging done by their respective owners. The same could probably be said for Untamed Gym, too, to perhaps a lesser extent. Not that these gyms would otherwise fail completely, but that we are seeing a move to a vlogging platform by the owners and that this gives their gyms a certain story and name online (i.e. internationally). Seems to be a minority, though.

Mr. mr55 rightly points out that SS gyms probably run on the credential of the in-house coaches and the coach-client relationships these gyms foster. But then I never claimed otherwise. Instead, I used SS gyms as one example where gyms don't need to try to cater to everyone's dumb needs (more like wants, really) by purchasing every piece of useless equipment and then selling too many memberships as an only viable way to make money. I said this not in response to the OP, but to Mr. Schexnayder's post that, in my mind, seemed to indicate otherwise, or at the very least was forgetful of the good ol' SS gym, a detail I wanted to rectify.

So there. Ya trolls.

[LimieJosh]

There is certainly a market of some size for a gym like this in a bigger municipal area, larger than a middle market of 100,000. It will never make money, but it can get the bills paid -- depending on the overhead and the market. Such a place probably wouldn't work in Lagos, but it would in Las Vegas. Places like this are usually put together by a group of buddies who just want a place to train, and it grows into a functioning gym from there. But strictly from the investment standpoint, these people are crazy. First, they will be paying quite a bit for key-club insurance, and equipment tends to walk out the door in places like this. Second, since there is nobody there to show new people what to do, it will appeal only to people who are already training, probably incorrectly. so on the whole, this is a stupid idea.

This was how the gym I grew up training in was set up. A group of 4 or 5 guys set it up in a small shed as somewhere they could train, and then ran it as a co-op. 25 years later whenever I go home to see my parents, I still go to the butcher's to pick up a key so I can train. Some caveats, 1) These were not the sort of men whose shit you steal, and 2) they probably didn't bother getting insurance, 3) it is in the UK not the US.

[Rajtar]

Mark, is there any market for a gym that has the same equipment set up as a SS gym and provides 24/7 key card access? There are no trainers and no classes. It is just a private gym, about 1700SF for people who want to train seriously with barbells and not in a typical commercial gym environment. I don’t think there is a market for this, but I could be wrong. I thibk it’s hard to make money only charging $99/mo and going after a small segment of the population. I was approached by three people to invest and I think it’s doomed to failure. They have done zero demographic studies and there is a CrossFit gym a few blocks away from their proposed location. They are under the mistaken idea of build it and they’ll come. Thoughts?

I think a business of that sort could work if you could rent the space to personal trainers/ strength coaches that are looking for a gym with racks and good quality weights. You could also look for people doing online strength programs etc. It would have to be in a populated area I say a city of over 500 thousand could work. With right advertising and playing it smart you could make some money I would bring my clients to a gym like that and even run some small group strength classes there. I would be very happy to train in a gym like that.

[Pluripotent]

Maybe restrict answers to this question to people who have actually owned a gym. I agree it's a nice idea, but so is universal health care. It just doesn't work in practice.

[John Watson]

I think a business of that sort could work if you could rent the space to personal trainers/ strength coaches that are looking for a gym with racks and good quality weights.

I've considered offering my garage gym for rent to SSC's in the area. It's very close to the L train in Brooklyn.

[sbrl_19]

I found a place like this recently when looking for a place to train while on vacation. Just barbells, racks, platforms and benches. Members get a key for 24 hour access, but there is also and open door with someone at the desk during regular hours and allow walk ins for a daily fee during the hours someone is there. Ended up not going there because of the distance from where I was staying, but It definitely had my attention. On the website they say they offer training and coaching, so as others have said this and the manned desk at times may distinguish it from OP’s model.

[Jeff Erickson]

Someone needs to create an AirBnB for garage gyms.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Not entirely stupid, but it doesn't sound like the way anyone is going to get rich.

[adauria]

Someone needs to create an AirBnB for garage gyms.

This is brilliant. Too bad we are such a litigious society or this would be a lucrative idea.

-Andrew

[mitchless]

This is brilliant. Too bad we are such a litigious society or this would be a lucrative idea.

-Andrew

As with AirBnB, HomeAway, VRBO, Uber, Lyft, etc. the brand doesn't own any of the real estate. They're just the service that connects lifter and gym. The owner of the garage gym would bear all the liability. One could probably raise a few million dollars on this idea, get some solid early revenue with a basic app/website, then sell out before things get sticky.