POLOKWANE – Gyms are used to seeing an influx of members daily, but nothing could have prepared them for the nationwide lockdown, which has forced them to close their doors. Some gyms have taken steps to protect their clients’ finances by freezing their membership fees, bringing much relief to members.
While some gyms continue to collect membership fees, most lost revenue with some opting to go the virtual route, by offering live-streamed workouts for members so that their membership fees don’t go to waste. The Managing Director of Virgin Active South Africa (SA), Mark Field recently told the Citizen that they have seen a huge decline in online workouts since outdoor exercise was permitted.
“We have noticed that people are seeing the importance of exercising,” he said. Gyms are at an advanced stage of engaging with government about safely reopening its doors, and protocol measures were presented and submitted in the hope of positive feedback within the coming weeks. Field further explained that a balance between protecting members and staff was important, adding that hygiene at clubs would be amplified by regularly sanitising equipment, and not allowing certain exercise activities such as swimming.
Body Life Club Manager, Conrad Labuschagne said lockdown has had an enormous effect on the fitness industry as a whole. “Our gym has been closed since the beginning of lockdown and has led to a tremendous loss of income. We are a privately-owned business and our only source of income is our monthly membership fees,” he said.
He adds that the gym has given their members the option to freeze their membership fees or keep on paying. “Those who continued paying will receive a free membership period at the end of their current membership agreement, equal to the lockdown period. Even though we have placed these measures in place, we have lost an estimated 50% income. Our overheads stayed the same in the sense that we still had to pay rent, municipal rates and taxes and salaries,” Conrad said.
He added that Body Life’s personal trainers lost an estimated 80% of their income because they could not train clients.
We asked a few locals how they experienced not being able to visit the gym as well as their thoughts on proposed booking of equipment before visiting the gym.
Kgothatso Lamola: As a frequent gymgoer, I was a bit disappointed because gyms were forced to close. But when they do eventually open, I think it’s going to be even more complicated if we have to book our own machines, because I gym different body parts on different days, so it’s going to be quite a challenge to gym according to a schedule if that is implemented.
