Duncan Attwood, fit20 studio owner in Exeter, has always had a desire to help people improve their health and fitness. He started off in the big box gyms but noticed 3 major issues:
- They were targeted at the younger generations only
- People were paying for memberships but weren’t getting the results
- People were paying for membership but never going
Duncan wasn’t wrong, it is estimated that some 15% of the UK population have a gym membership and around half are cancelled within 6 months
At the same time people are much more aware of the importance of health and wellness. So why are the big box gyms not full?
Clearly Covid has played a part, however there are other aspects that need to be addressed.
- People are busier (they don’t have time to go to the gym 3 times a week or more)
- Will power alone is sometimes not enough to make it to the gym
- Results are not forthcoming as techniques are often ineffective (and injuries can also occur as a result)
- Without seeing progress people are losing motivation to attend
Duncan started looking for a solution … and that’s when he discovered fit20, part of the booming boutique fitness sector. Studio members train one to one, or maximum one to two, once a week for 20 minutes with a fit20 certified trainer, using specialist equipment, in air conditioned studios.
Many over 40s are no longer willing to accept the natural progression of ageing that brings a reduction in strength and bone mass, and they are turning to the boutique fitness sector to reclaim strength, health and vitality. They are joined by busy business professionals, parents, people who have had injuries that are aggravated by traditional gym classes or free weight lifting, and even athletes that want to increase their strength, posture and technique.
Although Boutique fitness studios can seem to have higher membership fees, they are becoming more popular because members get the results they are looking for. The accountability provided by fit20 Certified Trainers results in increased attendance, while members enjoy the personal experience offered combined with the expert guidance and guaranteed monitored results.
It isn’t just fit20 studio members that are seeing and feeling the results of their fit20 training, the results are backed up by science. fit20 have challenged the preconception that we should attend the gym multiple times a week and made strength and fitness available to a large and unserved portion of the population. This is incredibly important as remaining fit and healthy, particularly from mid-life onwards when our bodies are starting to decline, can mitigate diseases of old age and prolong life by as much as a decade.
We are still learning so much about health and fitness. Recently, results of a study by Peter Schnohr, a cardiologist on the Copenhagen City Heart Study were published, concluding that exercise in mid-life is beneficial in preventing mortality, but crucially that more is not better.
Schnohr says: “The main reason seems to be related to the fact that too much sport or physical training every day allows for insufficient rest and recuperation, which is not good for our health,” he says. “Somewhere in the middle is best when it comes to exercising to live longer and too much is not good.”
Certainly fit20 is getting the results for their members. Founded in the Netherlands in 2009 they now have over 19,000 members in 14 countries. In the UK studio membership numbers are currently nearly 50% up on their pre-lockdown high.
As a high-margin operating model, fit20 boutique studios are also proving popular with fitness entrepreneurs and investors alike. Each studio is independently owned and operated by a franchise owner, with most studios having several trainers on staff. Duncan is one of the fit20 UK franchise owners and following the success of his Exeter studio he is now looking to open a second studio.
It’s never too late to get healthier or wealthier.
This news feature was brought to you courtesy of fit20.
