Why People Quit the Gym: Maybe It’s a Gym Problem
People walk into gyms motivated every single day.
They want to get stronger. They want to move better. They want to improve their health, feel more capable, and finally make fitness a consistent part of their lives.
Then, somewhere along the way, they stop showing up.
The fitness industry has traditionally been pretty quick to call that a motivation problem.
But what if it isn't?
What if sometimes it's a gym problem?
Maybe We Need to Stop Blaming People for Quitting the Gym
In Strong Brew Episode 235, Cory Cripe of Fitness Lying Down takes a harder look at something those of us in the fitness industry don't always like to admit.
There are gyms everywhere. Fitness information is more accessible than ever. Gym memberships can be incredibly inexpensive. Workouts are available on phones, tablets, televisions, and social media.
Yet many people still struggle to consistently participate in physical activity and strength training.
So maybe the question shouldn't always be:
"Why can't people stay motivated?"
Maybe those of us working in gyms should also be asking:
"What are we doing that makes people not want to come back?"
Good Strength Training Should Meet You Where You Are
One of the biggest problems in the traditional gym environment is assuming that one approach works for everyone.
Someone may walk into a gym and explain that an exercise previously bothered their back, shoulder, knee, or hip.
Too often, instead of truly listening, a fitness professional starts thinking about how they're going to get that person to perform the exercise anyway.
Why?
Because we like the exercise.
Because we like the program.
Because it's what we believe somebody is supposed to do in the gym.
But successful personal training and strength training shouldn't begin with the exercise.
It should begin with the person standing in front of us.
Your Workout Doesn't Need to Destroy You to Work
Somewhere along the way, fitness became associated with punishment.
Sweat more.
Work harder.
Get exhausted.
Be sore for days.
Push until you can't do another repetition.
And if you're able to comfortably walk down the stairs the next morning, apparently the workout wasn't hard enough.
That might make for dramatic fitness marketing.
It doesn't necessarily make for sustainable fitness.
A good workout isn't measured by how badly you feel afterward. It should help you become more capable of living the life you want outside the gym.
Strength training can certainly be challenging. Progress requires effort.
But challenging someone and destroying someone are two very different things.
Fitness Has to Fit Into Your Life
Another mistake gyms make is expecting people to organize their lives around fitness.
Most people aren't fitness professionals.
They have careers. Families. Kids. Aging parents. Social obligations. Hobbies. Vacations. Appointments. Responsibilities.
Maybe somebody can realistically strength train twice per week.
That's not a failure.
The job of a good coach isn't to make that person feel guilty because they aren't training five, six, or seven days per week.
The goal should be to make those two sessions meaningful enough that the person can consistently keep doing them.
Fitness should fit into your life—not require your life to fit around fitness.
Consistency Beats Fitness Punishment
People can tolerate an overly demanding fitness routine for a while.
Maybe two weeks.
Maybe six weeks.
Maybe even a few months.
But eventually the physical discomfort, scheduling stress, intimidation, soreness, and emotional pressure begin competing with everything else in their lives.
That's when going to the gym starts sliding farther and farther down the priority list.
Sustainable strength training takes a different approach.
Help people move well.
Help them become stronger.
Help them improve their balance and stability.
Give them appropriate challenges.
And perhaps most importantly:
Create an experience they actually want to come back to.
Watch Strong Brew Episode 235
This conversation may make a few people in the fitness industry uncomfortable—and that's probably okay.
After plenty of years working as a trainer and gym owner, Cory has also had plenty of opportunities to learn from his own mistakes.
At some point, we have to stop sugarcoating the problem and start asking how gyms can do a better job serving the people who are trusting us with their fitness.
Grab your Strong Brew and give Episode 235 a watch.
Looking for a Different Kind of Gym in La Crosse, WI?
If you've tried gyms before and walked away thinking fitness simply wasn't for you, we'd encourage you not to give up on strength training just yet.
At Fitness Lying Down in La Crosse, Wisconsin, our approach to personal training and functional strength training begins with the individual.
We want to understand how you move, what you need, what you've experienced in the past, and what you'd like your body to be capable of doing outside the gym.
Our goal isn't to see how exhausted we can make you.
Our goal is to help you build strength, movement quality, balance, stability, and confidence in a way you can continue doing consistently.
If that sounds different from your previous gym experience, our 2-Week Immersion is a great way to experience Fitness Lying Down for yourself.