The future of the fitness club business is moving away from a completely sales-driven system and toward a progressive business plan. This business plan reduces risk for the club by seeking revenue from different sources called profit centers. By adopting profit centers, fitness clubs are no longer dependent on just the external source of income of new membership sales. Instead, they combine external and internal sources by creating profit center income from members already in the system.
Because of its versatility, Pilates offers multiple avenues for profit centers within the club. The exercise is gentle, yet challenging, reaching out to many demographics. Pilates is adaptable and has many different pieces of equipment that can be incorporated to add interest. Here are just a few proven ways to incorporate a Pilates profit center into your business:
Pilates Props Group Classes
A Pilates props class can be offered for a six-week period. This class is limited to a small group of ten to twelve for a more private environment. Incorporating small props such as the Pilates ring, foam roller, Airex mini beam, and Swiss ball will add interest. Members sign-up for the sixweek package that can cost from $48 to $60. If the club does not have the props, the purchase of a prop, such as a ring, can be added to the package. For example, six weeks of classes and a Pilates ring for $75.
Semi-private Pilates Circuit Classes This class can accommodate three to five members depending on the equipment available and can make use of an existing private studio. This class benefits both the club and the member. It requires no purchase of new equipment and allows the member to experience Pilates equipment without the high price of personal training. This class can wear a price tag of $15 to $25 per person and involves up to five members. A circuit can be set up where participants have stations on the reformer, the Pilates chair, the tower, and the spine corrector as well as mat stations with the ring, roller, or ball. There is no need to have multiple pieces of equipment or a full studio to make this class a success.
Pilates for Golf
Pilates has a reputation as excellent conditioning for golf and is used by many professional golfers in their training. The winter season is the perfect time to offer a six-week series of small group classes of Pilates focused on improving the golf game. Like the group props classes this class would be limited to ten to twelve members and would be offered in a sixweek package. The cost of the class would range from $48 to $60 and would include some brief explanation as well as a workout. This class offers a service to your golfers in their off season while getting them into the center more frequently.
Combination Pilates Classes
Combine a Pilates class with a cycling class for a 90-minute challenge. This can be done as a package over several weeks or just as a special class offered periodically. The fee could be $7 to $10 for the one-time class. Pilates is an excellent combination with any of the cardio classes, or it can be fused with another mind and body technique, such as Yoga.
If you have an existing Pilates profit center and you are presently offering group reformer classes, you should keep things interesting. By adding new choreography and themes to these classes, you can bring in different demographics. For example, a Pilates reformer class for men only. The exercises could focus on a male posture and emphasize flexibility. Other common themes include seniors and pre-natal or post-natal.
If you have tower reformer combination equipment, the integrated training workout is an excellent way to add interest and revenue. This class uses the tower with the floating carriage of the reformer. The tower creates a workout for the large muscles and the feel of a workout in the gym, while the moving carriage encourages the use of the core muscles like Pilates. By adding Slastix, you can further increase the interest by providing a cardio component. Jumping and punching on the tower reformer with the Slastix provides a gentle form of cardio work. This hybrid class can be sold as a package or individually, just like a group reformer class.
As you can see, Pilates adds unlimited options for a prosperous profit center. For education and information on building your Pilates profit center, visit www.phipilates.com or call 877-716-4879. Phi Pilates courses are offered internationally or we can come to your facility. See our new Pilates videos: Pilates on the foam roller, Pilates on the Airex Mini Beam and Integrated Training powered by Slastix.
Christine Romani-Ruby MPT, ATC is the Owner of Phi Pilates. She can be contacted at 877.716.4879, or by email atcruby@phipilates.com.
