The appeal of measuring max oxygen consumption isn’t hard to see: using data from these tests, clubs can help members determine how best to approach their workouts. Services like VO2 max testing give gyms the ability to enhance their members’ fitness experiences.
BLAST, with two locations in Atlanta and one in Washington D.C., uses KORR’s VO2 max testing to give members another avenue through which to reach their fitness goals, while also adding profit to the club’s bottom line.
Below, Sarah Robson, a crew director and instructor at BLAST, shares her experience using VO2 max testing as an added profit center and motivational tool for members:
CS: Talk about how BLAST Fitness is using VO2 max testing as a profit center that adds dollars to your bottom line.
SR: At BLAST, we use this testing as an incentive for clients to buy one of our CREW packages, which has recurring financial benefits for the studio. We also sell this service a la carte for clients who are not CREW members and we have a nice revenue stream from those people, too. We’ve also had quite a few clients who are not even members of the studio, but found us through the internet, come in for testing as well.
CS: How are you creating a program around these services?
SR: We use this testing to help clients understand the science behind their workout and then give them a very direct prescription to use during a workout at our studio. Once a client understands where their fat burn zone is, they have the ability to train appropriately during their scheduled workouts. This has been very effective for a lot of our clients and they’re seeing amazing results.
CS: Are they effective for helping you differentiate from the competition?
SR: Absolutely — we are taking this process to the next level. It’s one thing to estimate a person’s zones with equations that don’t always put clients in the correct box, as opposed to actually delivering accurate information that will guide them in the correct direction. We are all about the science [of the scans] and offering clients real results.
CS: Any tips for maximizing profits with these services?
SR: I would say the best way to maximize profits with these services would be showing success stories. People who have learned their information and then properly use it to attain goals are the most persuasive advertisement.
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Bobby is the former assistant editor of Club Solutions Magazine.
