Personal Training Gym vs. Membership-Based Gym

By Oscar Smith

When it comes to working out, people immediately think about going to the gym. They want a place where they can exercise and reach all their fitness goals. But, what kind of gym should you choose? Your options will be plenty, and you should make sure you choose the one that will be the most beneficial for you.

If you don’t like your gym, you won’t feel motivated to go, and you won’t be working out as much. If you love the facility you are attending, you will want to keep going back, and your results will be more noticeable.

Membership-based Gym

What is a membership-based gym? How does it work? The first thing you need to know is that these types of gyms are open for everyone who is willing to pay a monthly fee. You will enroll–some places will charge you a sign-up fee–and then, be able to start working out. The thing with gyms like this kind, is that they care the most about attracting a great volume of people, because that is what will generate an income for the facility. 

These gyms usually have a weight training area and a cardio machines area. They have incorporated different group classes you can now take (spinning, kickboxing, aerobics, among others), but they come with an extra charge; this is to attract more members. Either your membership will be more expensive, or you will have to pay an extra fee per class. The same will happen if you want a personal trainer; you will have to pay extra for their work.

Membership-based gyms are constantly looking to make money from every angle they can find. Fees to sign up, monthly charges, extra payments for specific classes or trainers, and the well-known juice bars.

Personal Training Gym

A personal training gym, or private training studio, is different from a membership-based gym in many aspects. They charge you per class; this means, you only pay for the classes you are taking or the training sessions you set up with your trainers. This means that their money comes from the work the trainers are putting in, so more trainers or class instructors means more money the studio will make. Training studios have a monthly fee, you can take as many classes as you want during the month, without having to worry about one specific schedule and using and app to sign up before it’s fully booked.

This type of gym targets a specific audience that wants a very specific type of workout; this limits the gym growth in the number of members. There are cycling gyms, boxing gyms, rowing gyms, and just about anything you can think of. You have classes with different levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and one-on-one training. This will allow you to progress more and work more closely with your trainer to reach your specific goals. Unlike membership-based gyms, they have a limit to the amount of people who work out in the room at one time.

I used to work at a membership-based gym, but after some years, I opened my own private studio. There, I take clients by referral and accept those who really want to reach their fitness goals. My training is one-on-one. And thanks to my experience, I can tell you that the most important part is that you choose a gym and a workout routine that will motivate you to keep moving and progressing.

A few things that may come into play are your location–not too far from where you live or work, availability, what kind of workout you like, and what you want to achieve. These are all things you need to keep in mind before you choose a membership-based gym or a personal training gym.  

Oscar Smith has a lifelong dedication to fitness as a lifestyle. Oscar has personally mastered multiple disciplines to develop a specialized training system for total body transformation. His fitness services are offered at his chic Tribeca personal training gym, O-D Studio.With athletic experiences on his high school football and track and field teams, Smith went on to major in physical education, minor in kinesiology and biomechanics, and become a level two all-around gymnast. 

With twenty-three years of experience, Oscar’s notable accomplishments range in scope. Oscar is a Certified Personal Trainer [ISSA-International Sports and Science Association], Certified Technician, Gymnastics Coach [USGF- United States Federation of Gymnastics], Kinesiology and Biomechanics Specialist (movement of the muscles and tendons), Senior Ocean Lifeguard and Ocean Rescuer (driver), USLA Competitor [United States Lifesaving Association], Six-Time Tri-Athlete (30-mile bike ride, 26-mile run, one-mile swim), and a New York City Marathon participant.Smith started his personal training gym, O-D Studio in 2003, before anyone knew what a personal training gym was. 

For more information, please visit https://o-dstudiogroup.com/