Tips for Maximizing Unused Space in Your Facility

For health clubs, it’s important to make the most efficient use of all available square footage to create member experiences that build retention, acquisitions, referrals — and of course, revenue. This, coupled with the fact the interests and needs of today’s members are constantly changing, means your facility likely has opportunities to repurpose existing unused spaces to better serve your members’ needs and open doors to new revenue streams — without the need to expand your walls.

How exactly do you go about repurposing unused space? One way is through small group training solutions that can be modified to fit perfectly into the footprint of an existing space. These types of programs add value to the member experience by building community and improving fitness. They also provide the opportunity for growth while allowing facilities to stay committed to a multi-functional area that all members can look forward to using.

The best solutions ensure balanced workouts for every participant and make it easy for newcomers and returning participants to know what to expect. The classes should offer progression and regression to meet the needs of members of all fitness levels. There is also a benefit when the program design allows the equipment and exercise focus to change from one workout to the next, but maintains a structure that drives members’ expectations. Strive for the perfect balance of consistent structure with diversified delivery.

When transforming your space, it’s important to consider things like sound, flooring, lighting and imagery to enhance your equipment and program choices. Creating a welcoming, energetic environment is key to making the space both attractive and effective to drive results.

Implementing a small group training solution can bring a differentiated offering that bridges the gap between one-on-one personal training and group exercise classes. With the smaller class size, members receive a personally-coached experience while also obtaining the benefits of community and social fitness found in a traditional group exercise class. The sweet spot for participation in fee-for-service small group classes is between eight to 12 per class. Programming can be designed to make it easy for the coach to manage all participants with a focus on form, technique, motivation and results to provide a fitness experience like no other.

Rebecca Cofod is the group training business solutions manager for Matrix. For more information about the turnkey MX4 Small Group Training Solution, visit matrixfitness.com/en/group-training/mx4 or contact Rebecca at rebecca.cofod@matrixfitness.com.