Remember when you were in elementary school and you actually had recess? Recess was the most sought after time during school. I remember going outside every day for about an hour to an hour and a half to play kickball, dodgeball and four square. We spent entire recess periods trying to get as many kids on the merry go round as possible — well, until my buddy Cole got trapped under the thing one day. He cried, but he was fine.
We would even hold “dunk competitions” where we would pretend to dunk a basketball onto the monkey bars — each team voted on the dunks and kids were awarded style points.
Those were the days.
When I was at the gym this week, I started thinking about recess. We never spent 15 minutes running, 20 minutes strength training, 5 minutes stretching and 10 minutes decompressing. With recess, the entire hour and a half was decompression. Where did that enjoyment of exercise go?
I feel like we spend too much time pushing people to get healthy, as opposed to having fun. We spend thousands of dollars to try and convince someone that has put on an exorbitant amount of weight that they need to join our gym and exercise at least an hour a day. Why don’t you just tell them to put recess back in their life?
I need my recess every day. I’m still a kid at heart and if I can’t go play for a short time each day, I get cranky. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with needing to get out of the office for a little while. However, randomly throughout the year I get fed up with my normal workout routine. This happens because I stop having fun. When that happens, I find myself getting back to why I really joined a gym — recess.
What helped me get involved in a gym in the first place was the ability to socialize after work when I moved to a new city. It gave me a place to instantly find a pick-up game of basketball. I joined a gym to have fun, not to become the next Arnold. Most members join a gym to get healthy. From the first time they walk into a gym, members are sold on the idea that the gym will be the solution to their health problems. They may be given a list of exercises, a personal trainer and a whole new eating regiment. It’s like joining a gym is complete life changer.
Try, just once, to move away from the “We will change your life” pitch and shoot for a “We are going to help you have fun” pitch. Bring the recess back into your members’ life and they will enjoy your club and be a member for years and years to come. Let me know what you do to ensure members have fun at the gym!
Tyler Montgomery is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com
