Very intersesting! The only thing I want to comment on here is this: The article tries to imply that because of isolation machines and such and the atmosphere of a gym people get bored and that is why there is only a 35% attrition rate.
I teach fitness classes ( not in a gym but in a conservatory of fine arts, where mine is the only class of it's kind) and do Personal Training in a one on one environment, not a gym but in my home gym which I use for clients, and I can say this. In my HO, what is keeping people from committing to fitness is this: our society promotes "quick fixes" and this mentality is perpetuated in alot of aspects of our society. Not only in health and fitness. However, in relation to health and fitness, I can say this. My classes are certainly NOT boring, they are fun, challenging and take effort and commitment. Same to any client who comes for PT. There is still a high turnover rate for both, probably similar to the statistics given in the article for gyms. The problem, as I have observed, is that people don't want to do the work. They think that coming to class once every couple of weeks, or not following up with the required work at home, will get them results. They don't see results if they don't do the work, so they quit. The ones who continue and stay focused put the work in that's needed, balance that with healthy eating, and give the necessary 6-8 weeks of pushing themselves before they start to see working out as a part of life they can't be without. Period!
My point is this: I agree with Laura, everyone is different and people are motivated by different things. If someone joins a gym, finds that combining machines with cardio works for them, and they stick with it long term, then hey, that's what works!! If it is some other method, then fine. You will always find people debating over what is best, blah blah blah. In a year the same guy will write about how Functional Training is NOT best! Whatever! But you can't blame one type of exercise over another as the reason people don't continue to work out in a gym. Not true. Again, I see the same thing in both aspects of fitness I happen to work in. Personally, I don't like going to a gym. So, for me, I found what works. I stick to it. For some it's a gym. For some, it's both. It's not the love of free weights over machines that makes the difference, it's whatever the person likes and will stick to. Telling someone that they need to do free weights instead of machines may make them discouraged and then guess what happens... they quit. They don't like doing free weights, or FT, so they quit. What good is that?
Our society needs to stop looking for the quick fix and start finding something that works for them personally, and then stick to it. No excuses. If there is a societal attitude adjustment I bet attrition rates will soar!
Just MHO.
