Seven Signs it’s Time to Change Your Gym Programming
Choosing the right gym programming is a bigger decision than most gym owners realize.
Think about this: Susan came to your gym to lose weight. Bob wants more accountability. Dave is looking to relive his glory days by benching more than he did in high school. They all have different goals but one thing in common: The need for results.
Your members might love everything your business has to offer, from branded apparel to the fact that you allow dogs in the gym. But if they’re not seeing results, they’re much more likely to churn.
And that’s where your gym programming comes in. Check out the list below to be sure you’re providing them with the best option for meeting their needs while growing your gym.
Seven Ways to Know it’s Time to Switch Up Your Gym Programming.
1. Mismatched Member Demographics.
One mistake gym owners often make is not providing gym programming that aligns with what their members need.
For example, elite-level gyms with a focus on sending athletes to the CrossFit Games are probably looking for intense, competition-level programming.
But most gyms don’t fall under that category. If your gym is filled with the everyday athlete who just wants to be fitter and healthier, it’s crucial that your programming gives them what they need. It should be adaptable to all skill levels, with a variety of scaling options.
Ultimately, class workouts should provide the appropriate challenge for advanced athletes and beginners, without making it overwhelming for coaches to facilitate.
Programming should be challenging for advanced athletes and accessible for beginners.
2. Wrecked Clients.
A gym owner once told us, “My gym is like a ghost town on Fridays.”
After digging deeper, it turns out the programming volume was absolutely wrecking people. And there is a distinct difference between moderate soreness and inability to go to class.
First of all, in terms of retention, if you have members that want to come five or six days per week, these are your gold star consistency members, and you want to hang on to them.
Therefore, the primary goal of your programming should be that your people aren’t so wrecked that they can’t come to class. And secondly, they should get results, variety and fun in every single one of the 20-25 classes they attend each month.
3. Lack of Member Engagement and Fun.
The best way to ensure long-term success for your gym is to focus on member retention. In addition to seeing results, members need to have fun and be engaged.
Can gym programming really be that much of a game-changer for this? Absolutely.
The right programming can help overcome monotony and boredom by providing plenty of variety, plus ways for members to visualize their progress.
Your members should enjoy themselves in class, and we’ll talk more in an upcoming blog about creating a culture of success in your gym. But for now, simply ask yourself if your current programming is providing the experience you envision for your members.
4. Plateau in Member Progress.
As mentioned earlier, seeing results is the primary reason a member came to your gym in the first place. And in order for them to stick around, they have to keep making continued improvements in their strength, fitness and health.
If your gym programming is contributing to plateaus, or worse - not tracking progress at all, it can lead to member frustration and attrition.
Let’s be honest. Hitting PRs is fun. Achieving things you never thought you would is rewarding. You’ve seen it in your own training and your members need to experience it as well.
5. Lack of Structure and Progressions in Gym Programming.
“The unknown and the unknowable” has been a long-standing buzzword in the CrossFit world. And yes, it’s great to be prepared for whatever life throws at you.
But that doesn’t mean your gym programming should be a compilation of chaos.
Programming structured, intentional progressions between days, weeks and cycles will help your members avoid random workouts that don’t contribute to long-term gains or specific goals. On the other hand, the same 15 movements - programmed week after week in different orders and time domains - is also a recipe for boredom, injury from volume and membership cancellations.
Programming should be structured and include progressions to help members achieve optimal results.
6. No Differentiation Between Other Local Gyms.
If you Googled, “gym programming” and simply chose one of the big names, you’re not alone. The reason programming from Games athletes has become so popular is because they’re recognizable names with competition accolades behind them.
But have you ever stopped to think about how that correlates to what your members need?
We hear it all the time: “My gym isn’t filled with Games athletes. We just want to be fitter and healthier.”
So, why would you choose a Games athlete’s programming, especially when there’s a good chance your three closest competitors are also offering the same thing?
If you want to be the only gym in town known for the incredible results your members are getting, and the fun they’re having along the way, it’s time to explore other options.
7. Overwhelming or Ineffective Coach Preparation.
At the end of the day, you can have the best gym programming on the planet, but if your team struggles to coach it properly, it won’t matter.
On one hand, some programming options out there offer what they call “extensive coaches notes.” Pardon our French but GTFOH. It’s unrealistic to ask your team to spend hours preparing to coach classes by reading overwhelming novels of notes or watching lengthy videos.
Let’s be real. If your coaches are experienced and knowledgeable, they don’t need notes to tell them how to coach a deadlift. They got that info from their L-1, right?
Your team needs the appropriate amount of info and resources. Their goal is facilitate an effective, fun class. And the info they need to do that will include things like the workout stimulus, pacing strategy, etc., to make classes more smooth and effective.
In Summary: Choose Gym Programming Wisely for Member Satisfaction and Business Growth.
As a gym owner, how do you know when it’s time to explore new options for your gym programming?
Here are seven signs to watch for: Your programming should align with your member demographics. Members should not be wrecked. Instead, they should be having fun and feeling engaged in classes. Programming should help them get results and avoid plateaus. There should be structure and progressions between days, weeks and cycles. Also, your gym shouldn’t offer the same programming as your closest business competitors. And finally, your coaches should be adequately prepared, without being overwhelmed, as they lead your community.
Keep an eye out for the next blog in this series about how to seamlessly switch your gym programming. Or if you already know it’s time to make the switch, contact us today to get started!