The fitness industry gets more competitive every year. For many gyms, it’s harder than ever to attract new members.
There are a number of things that can separate you from the competition, one of which is a good round of fitness challenges. Especially early in the year, when everybody is looking to shed a few pounds, this is a great way to get people invested in their health. If you’d like to bring more people into your gym this winter, consider running some fitness challenges for the following reasons:
Most people understand that they need to live healthier lifestyles, but being held accountable for their fitness and nutrition is an essential part of any person’s long-term success.
Fitness competitions are successful in any context because they put participants into a situation where everybody knows how they’re doing and is rooting for them to succeed. That accountability is a huge motivator for success, which is very often why people will join a gym for the first time. They know they’ll be held to their goals.
Prizes serve as strong motivators, too. While not every small gym can afford to offer huge cash prizes for the winners of these competitions, sometimes area businesses will donate gift cards in exchange for advertising space in the gym, or you could even offer up some free services at your gym.
Whatever the incentive, human beings perform better with the proverbial carrot dangling in front of their nose. Everybody loves a good prize!
More than anything else, these competitions are meant to be fun, and any time a gym can turn fitness into a game, people are more likely to participate.
A big reason why CrossFit has grown so popular over the course of the last decade is because it found a way to turn working out into a competitive sport. Most people love a good competition, and getting into a contest like this really can bring out the best competitive spirit in people. That feeling of going up against other people and having a real shot at taking gold is thrilling, which explains why so many people are so eager to do it.
The truth is that fitness challenges are a great way to get people into gyms, but they are almost as good at keeping them there once they’re invested in the results of the competition. They’re also fun, both for gym members and gym owners, which makes them a great communal exercise no matter who wins.
Looking for a streamlined way to create and promote challenges? Products like Wodify Rise can help make these competitions easier to facilitate, with a goal of drawing in and maintaining the business of new customers.
