Is fitness recession proof?

Given the weather in New York, I would agree that people won't give up gym membership per se. They might switch to a cheaper gym though. So people might move from Equinox to NYSC, or NYSC to YMCA. I imagine that use of personal trainers will drop. It all depends on people's priorities and their resources. If you have a $250,000 salary and live in a rent controlled apartment, you're probably not going to feel the pinch. But if you are dependent on commissions and are paying a mortgage and coop/condo maintenance and property taxes, you might want to think about switching to the YMCA.

I don't think its recession proof. My balys membership was about to run out. I got a letter saying that I can sign up for another year for just $220. I ignored the letter and a few weeks later received another one saying that I can renew my yearly membership for $80!

I signed up............

Personal training is a niche item enough that those who would regularly pay for it would probably not be willing to give it up. I don't think there's an industry that isn't affected by a recession, but I also don't think that personal trainers are necessarily going to go homeless.

I guess the same goes for gym memberships. There'd be a decline, but I don't think it'd be anything crippling to the fitness industry.

I talk to folks at the Fitness Collective, and business seems damn good for a personal training facility.

I also agree with everything Raw said above.

Maybe people are not aware, but most health insurance covers health club memberships. Also Governor Patterson signed into law that Health Insurance has to cover memberships as preventive health.
I'm not sure if personal training is also covered, but you should look into that.

I am sure. But check with your insurance for the financial information, and the amounts that they will cover.

nkotsonis wrote: I agree.
Just heard that Crunch is going under, and needs to be re-organized.
Times are tough for everyone, but the economy is coming out of it, and I feel that we have to look at the bright side of things.
This recession is not as bad as the one in the early nineties or back in the late seventies, when it was really bad.
keep trying to find good things, and they will happen.

Crunch filed for bankruptcy. Unless something's changed in the past couple of hours, they are not "going under." The only local location that was supposedly affected was the one in lower Manhattan.

Yeah I would agree that people would not give up their gym membership... even my friends that are enrolled in gym they said that even if what they do they always need to go to gym...

Banger
Seeing as how you do not know if this is fact or not, to state untruths about a business is unfair and quite callous.
Also since you do not know about the financial status of this or any other business is unfair and slanderous.
I thought that this board had gotten past throwing mud at The Slope Fitness, or is the Collective doing so badly that they have to resort to lies again?

nkotsonis wrote: Banger
Seeing as how you do not know if this is fact or not, to state untruths about a business is unfair and quite callous.
Also since you do not know about the financial status of this or any other business is unfair and slanderous.
I thought that this board had gotten past throwing mud at The Slope Fitness, or is the Collective doing so badly that they have to resort to lies again?

...and isn't the last part of your statement worse mudslinging than the person you just accused of did?

nkotsonis wrote: Banger
Seeing as how you do not know if this is fact or not, to state untruths about a business is unfair and quite callous.
Also since you do not know about the financial status of this or any other business is unfair and slanderous.
I thought that this board had gotten past throwing mud at The Slope Fitness, or is the Collective doing so badly that they have to resort to lies again?

Actually, I said a slope fitness club, none in particular here. Regarding the particular club you mention, someone shared an issue to me and it's a source I'd say is quite reliable and I think it's the same club. They have no reason to lie to me. I don't know how you think you're the only one who knows all the "facts" here and I don't even know much of anything about "the Collective".

With regard to insurance, Governor Paterson can say all he wants but that doesn't help many of us. There are many other insurance companies than the two you mention and I haven't gotten full "coverage." I'll look into it.

O.k.
Seeing as how I m also a small business owner, and seeing as how the trainers in the fitness collective got started in Slope Fitness, and departed in a manner that was not ethical or proper. If they had gone to the management, figured it out yet, and stated that they wanted to branch off on their own, I would have been thrilled for them. But to steal members and member lists and then begin a negative campaign against the business where you got started, is not right.
I even visited their new location to wish them luck.
I found out later, that they thought that was very classy of me, and regretted the manner in which they had left.
Now I won't begin to go into the "Sergio" episode or the other actions that has been tried against the club.
Since you consider Jeff to be a good friend, I won't go into areas that we have had our disagreements about.
Suffice it to say, that I do not agree with or respect their business tactics.
Is that a bit more descript for you?

nkotsonis wrote: Banger,
Governor Patterson signed it into LAW.
It's a signed piece of legislation.
Now if I was mistaken about what club you were referring to, for that , I apologize. However, I would like to know your reliable source, because the information given is innaccurate.

Quite honestly... you come off remarkably condescending. Perhaps it's just messaging tone, which happens.

1) The information I gave with regard to what I heard about the fitness club is spot on accurate. You still haven't explained how you KNOW my facts are wrong. If I were a wagering man I'd be putting the money down that what I heard about an issue of nonpayment in a timely fashion is accurate.

2) Regarding the "law" - I can't find it. My insurance doesn't cover the cost of a health club. It doesn't make sense without rates for such coverage skyrocketing. If this were the case then people's premiums would jump at least 15%, whether or not you even need a fitness club. Until I get the full facts of what "coverage" means, it's just a vague statement, no offense.

nkotsonis wrote: As to the other point, late payments in a non-timely fashion is different from not paying at all.
Seeing as how everyone is trying to cope in this economy, many businesses have had to send payments later than they wanted, unfortunately, myself included. But the bills do get paid.
Business owners understand this reality, and compensate accordingly.
As to the law, I'll fish through my files, and get it for you.

Thanks for the apology.

1) Regarding late payments, no offense, you're now telling a different story. So it happens and I hope communication is clear early regarding time and reasons. But what are the little people who delivered services supposed to do? Tell credit card companies to go away for a while? Not that this is you, but I've found many wealthy business owners making excuses that "it's just business" and take some advantage of the "economy." They aren't sensitive or concerned as they have a healthy personal bank account. I'm sure clients aren't floated... my concern is losing a deposit, as you can understand, I saw it happen recently. First sign, payments are late.

2) Re the Law - Thanks much.

nkotsonis wrote: I glad that you accepted my apology.
We did get off on the wrong foot.
To me, not paying, means not paying at all. Late payments, depending on a person's credit, is a business practice that you have to do from time to time.
Even credit card companies, not Amex, understand this as well. That's why we pay such high interest, because the money is essentially a loan.
Anyway, I think the point is that we are all trying to get by in this crazy economy.

Thanks for the explanation. I'll tell you what worries me and I'm hoping you'll take it in spirit intended of understanding. I don't think that "we" are all in the same boat at all and that's usually a line given by a business owner with a few homes and several cars who now has to give something up but feels that he or she shouldn't have to do so. It's unfortunately the American mentality and what caused this economic apocalypse.

Are you saying employees are told in advance they will be paid late and offered a premium payment by a certain date? If not, you're making a "business decision" to stiff some employees and forcing these little people to incur high AMEX charges which are coming out of their pocket, not "ours." For the business, the electric company gets paid on time, as does the check for the benefits and salary of every "essential" employee, owner and partner. It's a matter of business owners taking care of themselves first and then deciding who they can afford to screw. My concern is that, as a potential client, if I pay a membership fee for all the great facilities I was shown and sold on today, what happens when "we" decide to shut down part of what I was promised? To me it translates as "sorry, I already spent your money to pay my salary and car payment - a corporation is created to limit my personal liability. Have a nice day." In this economy, that's what "we" on the other side worry about.

nkotsonis wrote: Hi Banger,
Sorry I could not get back to you sooner, but I was away for the weekend visiting friends in that haven of the mecca rich.....Hackensack New Jersey.
You must have misunderstood what I said. Payroll is not considred part of the expenses of, say, invoices to vendors. In fact, the whole point of the current administrations financial overhaul is to make things easier for owners to pay their employees. Credit lines are established so that payroll can be paid on time.
I have never missed paying my employees on time.
I am also 3rd generation Park Slope.
I have lived and worked here my whole life.
I have established roots here in the community. Therefore, I will not abandon it.
You obviously had a bad experience with Synergy.
Which, by the way, I have no association with.
For that I feel bad bad for you, but I had nothing to do with that, and people should be judged on their own merits, and not by industry association, etc.
I'm also not in the financial situation that you seem to associating me with.
I do not have many homes, and cars,etc.
I wish I did, but I don't.
Hope that helps to better understand me.

and going on public forums and speaking badly of other small business owners will do wonders for your financial situation. not only do you give your own business a bad name, but you give this forum a bad name.

i can already tell you of one Park Slope resident that, should he decide to switch away from his Crunch membership one day, will be taking his business to Body Reserve instead of the Slope....just because of your posts.