Fitness centers as we know them today have come a long way from how they all started.
In ancient Greece, the gymnasium was a place for the education & battle preparations for the Greek soldier and to prepare for the Olympic games. Not much changed until the middle of the 19th Century when health and wellness became a priority for most people. During this time, schools helped to renew interest by growing their athletic programs across the country. In 1881 the Boston YMCA was the first to develop exercise classes which became the forerunner for the health club model that we have today.
In 1965, Gold’s Gym in Venice, California became the new standard for fitness centers and helped to grow awareness to the public even more. Starting in 1980 as demand steadily increased, many big chain franchises opened across the country such as LA Fitness, Crunch, Anytime Fitness, Curves, Planet Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness and more. Today’s consumers also have some gyms that have specialized facilities such as Cross Fit and Orange Theory.
Nowadays, local community fitness centers have opened with great success as individuals look for a more personalized experience and smaller class sizes. Experts agree that joining a local gym helps develop a healthy routine and keeps people motivated to participate on a regular basis. Local gyms are an excellent choice because it builds a community with similar goals. Local gyms typically also offer more time with personal trainers and, for the most part, are more affordable. Many members develop lifelong friendships, and this helps to keep each member accountable and motivated.
Among the many fitness centers with us, some of the longest partnerships are 10+ year relationships. Special shoutout to these partners: The Airport Health Club (Santa Rosa, CA), Eastpointe Health & Fitness (Atlantic Highland, NJ), memorial Athletic Club (Houston, TX), Healthy Fit – The Health Club for Women (Mamaroneck, NY), and Hampshire Hills Sports and Fitness (Milford, NH).
Thank you to the many other fitness clubs, fitness class organizations, personal trainers and specialized health, wellness and fitness companies. We enjoy recommending you to the new movers across America.
Visit your local fitness center for more details. Stay healthy!
Fitness word art image courtesy of rawpixel
