8 September Micro Gyms Offer Healthy, Low-Cost Workout Alternative September 8, 2021 By sma Commercial Real Estate News, Property Investment building renovation, office space, real estate trends, special purpose facility 0 MICRO GYMS OFFER HEALTHY, LOW-COST WORKOUT ALTERNATIVE September 8, 2021 | CRE News, Investment | real estate trends, building renovation, office space, special purpose facility Personal health and wellness apps saw a spike in members during 2020. People that were previously going to their local fitness center still wanted a way to stay healthy while social distancing at home. Fast forward to 2021 and a large majority say they still prefer home workouts with a digital trainer as opposed to a gym. Convenience and sanitation are two of the main reasons for the sustained growth of home gyms. Now, gym owners are experimenting with micro gyms to bring customers back and give them peace of mind. Gyms Moving Into Retail Openings With businesses having to shut down after the economic impact of last year, the health industry was able to capitalize on commercial openings. Athletic facilities began popping up in old shopping malls as a way to breathe life back into empty spaces. Instead of just going to the mall to workout, consumers can get a personalized experience as they run errands. With fitness being a billion-dollar industry, retail owners are seeing the benefits that gyms have to offer. Micro Gyms Growing While gyms that require more square footage are moving to former stores, micro gyms are keeping fitness on a smaller scale. Micro gyms tend to only be about 200 to 300 square feet and can be tailored to different exercise styles. Crossfit, cycling, pilates, yoga, bodybuilding, and more are all easily adapted to the micro gym format. Micro gyms aren’t an entirely new concept and have been around for some time. However, their popularity has certainly grown as people became more sanitation-oriented after the experience of Covid-19. They also help personalize the workout experience for those using them compared to the generic style of traditional fitness centers. Sanitary Small Spaces Due to their small size and occupancy, micro gyms are much easier to keep clean. Full gyms have to rely on a larger cleaning staff as well as clients to wipe machines and pick up waste, which can be challenging to keep up with. On the other hand, micro gyms are faster to sanitize and require less staff. This is a major benefit for people that want to know their health is being taken into account. And the smaller workout areas mean less total people, especially in personal training, cutting down the transmission of illnesses between patrons. Reduced Operating Costs On the operating side of micro gyms, the cost is substantially lower to own and maintain. For starters, property prices are a fraction of what a full gym would be. There’s also less startup cost since less exercise machines are needed. Plus, you don’t need as many staff members to operate a micro gym. Aside from the trainers, there might only be one or two facility attendants to sign in guests and clean periodically. Silofit Canadian micro gym developer Silofit first launched in 2019 and has seen continued success. With eight locations in Toronto and Montreal, the gym rental company plans to open up 12 more spaces across Canada. They’ve also begun expansion plans into the United States. Silofit allows users to rent out office-spaces-turned-studios by the hour to exercise. The “silos” let individuals train how they want, free from the peer pressure that one often feels at other gyms. BOLD Based out of Chicago, BOLD made a marketing push this winter with their workout pods. The shipping container-like pods are able to house a rowing machine, squat rack, cycling machine, dumbbells, and screens with preloaded routines. BOLD currently has three pods to choose from for up to five hours during the week. Clients can get that same at-home workout feel, with a more upscale setting inside the pods. BOLD is raising funds to add more pods to their inventory and bring wellness to more people than before. Micro Gyms Have a Big Future With so much office space sitting unused due to more people working remotely, micro gyms have plenty of room to grow. Almost a third of gym goers canceled their membership within the last year. Micro gyms look to combine the benefits of cost, health, and flexibility to let people get out of the house and continue to work out how they want. The growth of micro gyms has been steady over the last several years, but they’ve recently gotten more attention. Silofit, for example, has seen a surge of reservations for their workout pods. As micro gym companies continue to expand, it might not be long before they become more readily accessible. For all your commercial inspection needs, contact National Property Inspections today. Comments are closed.