AusLeisure

Boosting awareness of strength training could be the key to growing gym membership among women, according to a report from leading fitness equipment manufacturer and supplier Precor.

Citing research that shows women are more likely to join a gym than men, but are less likely to engage in strength training exercises and more likely to eventually cancel their memberships, Precor’s white paper ‘Enticing Female Exercisers - Increasing Engagement Within Your Facility’, shows that increasing women’s awareness of the benefits of strength training, such as improved fitness results and increased calorie burn both during and after the workout, could help gyms to both entice and retain female members.

Referring to research by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) of women aged 18-55+, Precor highlight that while 72% of female gym members participate in group exercise, only 47% make use of weight and resistance equipment, such as plate-loaded machines and free weights. 

In a Precor poll of 500 women, the top five reasons given were:

• “I’m happy doing cardio workouts”
• “I don’t want to look big and bulky, like a bodybuilder”
• “It’s boring”
• “No one has shown me how to use the equipment”
• “I don’t have time for strength training”

Commenting on the findings, Precor UK Marketing Manager Jonathan Griffiths stated “health clubs can make use of a range of strategies to promote strength training exercises among women.

“These include building women’s knowledge and confidence about using strength training equipment, through initial orientation, on-the-spot guidance and regular drop-in workshops; generating interest in strength programs through initiatives like small group sessions and discounted rates on personal training; and making strength training easier to fit into women’s gym schedules, for example through custom workouts and instructor-led classes.”

According to Precor, other ways to encourage women to participate in strength training include poster campaigns featuring real-life success stories, improving self-service education in how to use the equipment, through demonstration videos and clear instructional placards, and implementing reward programs where members accumulate points as they work towards their goals.

Griffith added “these simple changes can help health club managers to promote the benefits of strength training and gym membership among women, and improve the rate at which they join and renew.”

Click here to download a copy of Enticing Female Exercisers - Increasing Engagement Within Your Facility’.

Click here to contact Precor Australia via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory. 

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