Join in on the Madness

Any college basketball fan in the country will tell you that March is for madness. It’s the time of year when fans anxiously await the single-elimination Division I basketball tournament referred to as March Madness — and there’s a good chance at least some of your gym-goers are those fans.

Here, Club Solutions Magazine takes a look at a few of the ways health clubs and even an online fitness community are using what some call the “greatest month of the year” to their advantage in creative ways:

A Play on Words. Some gyms create their own “March Madness” in ways that actually have nothing to do with the tournament itself. Gold’s Gym is currently running a new promotion they call “March Madness” by offering clients who sign up in the month of March a pass on paying an enrollment fee, and giving them five free two-week passes to share with friends. To top it off, if four friends sign up, the original friend receives a year membership free.

Get Fit Athletic Club in Richmond, Kentucky has their own take on March Madness, as well. It allows members to join for just $1 down to get two free weeks with a VIP membership, or they can join for $29 down and get two weeks free with a basic membership. The madness, and the promotion, end on March 31^st.

Create Competition. Fitness Republic, an online fitness community, knows that people’s competitive juices are flowing this time of year, and they capitalize on it by creating a 26-day challenge during the month of March. Rather than pitting teams or individuals against each other, though, the challenge asks people to go against themselves in the gym. A part of the challenge includes a timed 1,000 repetition circuit of various exercises on day three, but by day 26, that circuit includes 1,100 repetitions, with Fitness Republic claiming that despite the addition of reps, the time it takes the individual to complete the circuit should improve.

Double up. Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), based in Chicago, is running two March Madness themed events this month. From March 16 to 18, 10 FFC clubs throughout the city will host special bootcamps, fitness demos, nutrition seminars, free samples and even live music for members and their friends. They are also calling the month “March Refer-A-Friend Madness,” and are encouraging members to enter their giveaway and refer friends via a personalized referral link via text, email and social media before March 31 for the chance to win #trainingforlife — an extra marketing play on their signature hashtag.

Take some time to think about how you too can join in on the madness.