With the increase in job loss and the economy suffering. People have put their fitness on hold to keep up with their bills. As a corporate gym worker we have seen our sales plummet and our clientele dwindle down to only our most motivated and financially blessed. However, another part of the industry is also suffering; the home gym companies.
For the first time in 20 years the sales of “at home fitness equipment” is actually suffering. It seems as though many would rather pay the monthly amount at their local gym then buy the equipment for their house ( I don’t blame them).
MSNBC.com found a survey based on the sales of at home fitness equipment…
The survey found that among fitness machines, the treadmill still rules the roost.
“The treadmill remains number one. And I don’t think it’s going to lose that spot any time soon,” May said. “It’s king of the hill.”
But even the king is not immune to cutbacks.
“People are choosing not to spend $3,000 to 4,000 on a treadmill,” said Colleen Logan of ICON Health & Fitness, the largest manufacturer of home fitness equipment. “But we’re seeing steady sales of treadmills for under $1,000.”
The home fitness market is roughly three times as big as the institutional market, according to SGMA.
Logan says that while sales to health clubs and specialty stores may have plummeted, the home fitness market is down, but not devastated, as consumer habits change with the times (source).
That old saying … “you have nothing without your health,” should be taken very seriously. However, most think of their body as merely a vehicle to carry them from place to place, instead of something that keeps them here with their friends, family, and loved ones. Keeping health as your priority is the best way to live.
Adria Ali
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