BOUTIQUE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR CLUB
Boutique clubs don ’ t have to have the monopoly on innovative group exercise experiences , with many niche classes ripe for transferring to the gym environment .
WORDS : CAT WOODS
A s a barre instructor , I can attest
that it took a lot of convincing , a couple of pie charts , and promises to offer short-term trials and free classes to snag a regular spot on a YMCA timetable . Years later , several studios and boutiques popped up and now it seems there ’ s a barre studio on every major street in every Australian city .
What ’ s the take away ? That boutique , studio classes that attract a niche market are ripe for transferring to the gym environment . Not always , certainly , but on the whole fitness participants are much savvier now . Gym managers and group fitness managers in particular will ignore the 24-hour , international connectedness of their patrons at their peril .
Thanks to Instagram , Pinterest and Facebook , everyone and their grandmother knows what actors , models , yoga celebrities and fitness magazine cover stars are doing to stay lean , agile , flexible and fit . It just isn ’ t good enough to give the excuse that a class or training method isn ’ t popular yet and therefore isn ’ t the right fit for your facility . Be bold and lead the pack rather than straggling behind . Prove to your members and participants , current and prospective , that you have the energy , enthusiasm and savvy communication skills to trial new classes and methods and to give them enough time to either rate or be confined to the bin .
With some clever marketing , word-ofmouth , free passes , demonstrations and a set budget and time devoted to trialling new and different classes , you ’ ll stand out from the vanilla , dime-a-dozen gyms that surround yours .
Naturally , cost considerations and time / facility constraints will be front of your mind .
That said , if you commit to trying a boutiquestyle class , it doesn ’ t commit you for life . It may become your signature class , but it may also draw two curious locals and never make it past Go . No truly successful individual or business comes without stories of failure and trying again .
TRX training , HIIT , hot yoga ( not Bikram ), meditation classes and boxing are already working their way into the mainstream , if they haven ’ t done so already . Similarly , the rise in everyday , non-professionals taking part in marathons , triathlons and adventure fitness events has seen more clubs offering event-specific training . So , what else is happening in studios that could make the short leap to the gym environment ?
Here are some classes and training methods happening in studios internationally that could be the next barre , hot yoga , or HIIT cult class at your club .
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