CONSUMER FITNESS

TRENDS STATISTICS &

INSIGHTS FOR FITNESS
FACILITIES
NIELSEN: LES MILLS GLOBAL CONSUMER FITNESS SURVEY (2013)
AUGUST 2014

RESEARCH

SAMPLE:
4,610 across 13
countries

WEIGHTING:
NORWAY

SWEDEN

FINLAND

ITALY

GERMANY

FRANCE

SPAIN

DENMARK

NETHERLANDS

UNITED KINGDOM

WEST COAST
EAST COAST
SOUTH
CENTRAL

After the survey closed,

weighting was used to
correct any minor
imbalances. Variables
used for weighting were
based on official
population figures for
age, gender and region.

INDEPENDENT:
BRAZIL
AUSTRALIA

Online survey, with

consumers randomly
invited to participate from
Survey Sampling
International, a leading
global panel provider
representing 85% of the
market demand.

FACTS & INSIGHTS

1. WHO EXERCISES?
2. WHAT ARE EXERCISERS DOING?
3. WHERE AND WHY ARE THEY
EXERCISING?
4. WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE INTO FITNESS
FACILITIES?
5. GROUP FITNESS EXERCISERS

6. LES MILLS

1. WHO EXERCISES?

WHO EXERCISES?

FACTS

Globally, 78% of the

adults over 18 years
old exercise or would
like to

39% exercise

22%

have
no interest in
exercising

regularly with

87% exercising

3 or more times
a week

22%

81% of Millennials
(18 to 34 year olds)
exercise or would
like to (vs. only 61%
of Boomers)

27% of the adult population

(18+) attend a fitness facility

have no
interest in
exercising

45%

exercise
regularly

20%
39%

45%
36%

39%

36%

are not currently

exercising to keep fit
and healthy but would
like to

18%

Member
Casual member

22%

24%

WHO WOULD CONSIDER

JOINING?
20% of regular exercisers who are not
member of a gym would

36%
Another 39% are
not currently
exercising to keep fit
and healthy but
would like to

27%

Lapsed
Have no interest
in exercising

20%

9%

Never been

of Millennials (aged 18-34) would

25%

of exercise considerers who are not

member of a gym would

43%

of Millennials (aged 18-34) would

60%

of lapsed members would

(24% of the adult population)

WHO EXERCISES?

INSIGHTS
The vast majority
of the adult
population either
exercise
regularly or
would like to.

The market
of people
in the exercise
contemplation stage
is equally important
to the regular
exercisers one (39%
of the adult
population).

Fitness centers have real

growth opportunities in
specific areas.

20%

25%

of regular exercisers
who are not currently
attending a gym would
consider doing so

of exercise

The Millennials

60%

81%
61%

>>

considerers who are

not currently attending a
gym would consider

exercise or
would like to
versus
of lapsed
for Boomers.

members, would
consider rejoining
their local gym

A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IF OPERATORS CAN

UNDERSTAND THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND GAIN A
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STAGES OF
CHANGE (CONTEMPLATION, PLANNING AND RELAPSE)
FOR INDIVIDUALS IN EACH CATEGORY.

2. WHAT ARE THE

EXERCISERS DOING?

29%27%31%
13%15% 15%
12%13%
10%
7%
7%
4%

12%

Other

12%
7%
Boxing

Cardio machines

Weights machines

Dance

Pilates

Yoga

Fitness classes in music

Group training indoors

Individual sports

Cycling

22%21%
18%

Working out PT

13%15% 15%
10%
7%
7%
4%

12%13%

7%

37%
EQUIPMEN
T TYPE
ACTIVITIES

29%27%31%

Group training outdoors

attend between 3-5 group fitness classes

per week.

36% FITNESS
CLASS
ACTIVITIES

59%

Swimming

37% of
regular
exercisers are
currently
doing
equipmenttype
High frequency exercisers using
activities.
equipment type activities
are also likely to
36% of
regular
exercisers do
fitness class
type of
activities.

22%21%
18%

Free weights

76% of regular exercisers are

aged 18 to 34 years old
69% of exercisers that arent
doing gym-type activities would
consider.

GYM-TYPE ACTIVITIES = 61%

59%

Team sports

FITNESS IS THE
WORLDS BIGGEST
SPORT

61% of regular exercisers are

currently doing gym-type
activities.

Walking

WHAT ARE
THE
EXERCISERS
DOING?

Running/Tri

FACTS

FACTS

WHAT ARE THE EXERCISERS

DOING?
MILLENNIALS DOMINATE ALL FITNESS CLASS
ACTIVITIES.
18-34 years

46%

35-54 years
55+ years

39%

30%

27%

30%
24%

24%
20%

19%

20%

15%
10%
5% 5%

16%

16%
13%

11%
8%

20%

12%

12%

12% 13%

10%10%
7%

FITNESS
GROUP
FITNESS
YOGA
CLASS
TRAINING CLASSES
ACTIVITIES* INDOORS TO MUSIC INDOORS

7%

6%

PILATES

5%

DANCE

4%

WORK
OUT
WITH PT

3%

FREE
WEIGHT

WEIGHT
MACHINE

1%

CARDIO
BOXING
MACHINES

* Fitness class activities defined as 'Group training

indoors' OR 'Fitness classes to music indoors' OR
'Dance' OR 'Yoga' or 'Pilates'

INSIGHTS

WHAT ARE THE EXERCISERS

DOING?
SHIFTING FOCUS TOWARD
MILLENNIALS.

48%

of exercisers do gym-type activities - Half the target market.

The huge majority Millennials who regularly exercise are doing gym-type
activities

Re-engineering their
Promoting and offering more fitness
overall value proposition
class activities
and marketing towards

Equal in popularity to equipment type

them despite all the
activities
commentary
Almost twice as popular for considerers
around Baby
OPERATORS
Boomers, who are a
WILL BENEFIT
tougher market to
The principle of caveat emptor
reach and less-likely
BY
applies as the range of offering and
to consider gym-type
investment increases, trying to be all
activities.
things to all people. Lower risk

Designing and
promoting assisted
exercise with
Millennials
in mind.

investment exists with the

promotion and delivery of fitness
class activities for both users and
considerers. Further retention and
referral opportunities exist in the
cross promotion of fitness classes to
high frequency equipment users.

3. WHERE AND WHY

ARE THEY EXERCISING?

FACTS WHERE ARE THEY

EXERCISING?

ALL AGES
48%

HOME EXERCISERS

49%
41%

82%

35%
30%
23%

25%

25%24%
20%

23%
18%

21%
20%
16%

19%
17%
15%

82% of Gym members & casual gym members also

exercise at home

45%

44%

37%

38%
25%

26%

36%

27%
24%
17%

LARGE
MULTIPURPOSE
GYM/FITNESS
CENTER/
HEALTH CLUB

45% of high frequency gym attendees also use a DVD/

pre-recorded workout at home

MILLENNIALS (18 34
YEARS)

25%

26%
19%

SMALL
LOCAL/
PERSONAL
BOUTIQUE COMMUNAL/ TRAINING
GYM WITH A RECREATION/ STUDIO
SINGLE
CHURCH HALL
ACTIVITY

30%

31%

52%

26%
24%
19%19%

AT YOUR HOME
DEDICATED
DANCE,
YOGA OR
PILATES
STUDIO

FITNESS CLASSES TO MUSIC TEAM TRAINING PERSONAL TRAINING

52% of all gym members are doing either a DVD

and/or gaming and/or online workout program
(rising to 70% for high frequency gym attendees)

37%
37% of the market (defined as those who are either
regularly exercising or those who arent currently
exercising but would like to) are doing either a DVD
and/or gaming and/or online workout program at
home

USER FACTS

WHY ARE THEY

EXERCISING?

MAIN DRIVERS THAT PEOPLE

EXERCISE:

ALL AGES
MILLENNIALS

GET HEALTHY / MAINTAIN HEALTH GET IN / MAINTAIN SHAPE (LOSE WEIGHT, TONE-UP ETC.)

40%
27%

32%
37%

THE IDEAL FITNESS EXPERIENCE IS:

FUN

31%
33%

CALM / RELAXING

23%
16%

CONVENIENT

23%
20%

CHALLENGING

17%

USER FACTS

WHY ARE THEY

EXERCISING?
WHEN THE GOING GETS
TOUGH,
THE REASON PEOPLE
EXERCISE IS:

ALL AGES
MILLENNIALS

Knowing it is
good for me

61%
47%

Knowing it will
give me a pickme-up

35%

32%

Achieving my
end fitness goal

26%

31%

FACTS

WHY ARE THEY GOING TO

BOUTIQUE GYMS /
FACILITIES?
ALL AGES
MILLENNIALS
The type of
people that go
there

63% 63%

The
atmosphere/
vibe

47%

42%

I get more
personalised
attention /
coaching from
staff

40% 38%

I like to follow
new trends in
fitness activities

29% 34%

INSIGHTS

WHERE AND WHY ARE

THEY EXERCISING?

Large multipurpose fitness

facilities remain
the most popular
venue across all
activities

However they are losing

market share quickly to new
business models, in
particularly
micro-gyms.

PREFERRED
EXERCISE
SPACES
SHIFTING

Hugely popular with the

Millennials who crave
assisted ad social exercise,
authentic experiences,
atmosphere and opportunity
to connect with likeminded people in their
workouts.

Dedicated types of
spaces are best suited
to achieve these
desires.

ADAPT OR

INSIGHTS

WHERE AND WHY ARE

THEY EXERCISING?

AMPLIFY
MESSAGING
AROUND GETTING
AND MAINTAINING
HEALTH.
This is the main reason for people
to exercise; research shows that it
delivers higher attendance than the
more superficial goals relating to
appearance.
Millennials - 'Getting/staying in
shape' ranks higher than 'getting/
maintaining health, which should
be reflected in the messaging and
offering.

FOCUS ON OVERCOMING
BARRIERS, PROMOTING AND
OFFERING AN EFFORTLESS,
CONVENIENT ACCESS TO
EXERCISE AND SUPPORTING
MEMBERS IN THE CHALLENGING
PROCESS OF CREATING AN
EXERCISE HABIT.
Feeling too tired is the most used excuse
to not exercise regularly, closely followed
by 'busy schedule' and ' lack motivation.
Motivational messaging to improve
attendance should reinforce the WHY. Key
messages include:
'exercise is good for me

THE 'IDEAL EXERCISE EXPERIENCE

PROMOTE AND DELIVER.
Fun and convenience - key drivers regardless of age.

'exercise provides a pick-me-up

'exercise acts as a means to an end fitness
goal

Millennials (18-34 years) - 'challenging' replaces 'calm/relaxing'.

Operators can create the optimum mix and volume of 'ideal exercise experiences' by
assessing the % of challenging versus calm/relaxing workouts benchmarked against
membership age demographics.

INSIGHTS

WHERE ARE THEY

EXERCISING?
HOME EXERCISE
COMPLEMENTS GYM
PARTICIPATION
RATHER THAN
COMPETES WITH IT.

HOME
SPACE
FUELS THE
GYM SPACE.

Promoting the 'live

club version' of the
home activities. The
motivational benefits
of the venue and
working out with
others.

Offering free home

workouts, especially
free weights, yoga,
dance and fitness
classes to music.

DVDs/Gaming and online

platforms provide the
greatest opportunity to
engage members and
educate prospects at home
through the various stages
of exercise change.

4. WHAT DRIVES
PEOPLE INTO
FITNESS FACILITIES?

USER FACTS

TOP DRIVERS WHY

PEOPLE ATTEND
THEIR CURRENT
FITNESS FACILITY
ARE:

WHAT DRIVES
PEOPLE INTO
FITNESS FACILITIES?
Convenient
location

50%

22%

Great
Great fitness My friends
atmosphere Great
go there
equipment classes to
36%
music

31%

9%
Location is The
The
convenient atmosphere equipment
to me
/ vibe is
good

WHEN ASKED THE

MAIN REASON

Convenient
location
(22%)

29%

28%

14%
They offer
fitness
classes to
music

Great
Great fitness
equipment classes to
(9%)
music (14%)

My friends go
there

WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE

INTO FITNESS
FACILITIES?

CONSIDERER
FACTS

THE TOP THREE THINGS

GROUP FITNESS
CONSIDERERS LIKE ABOUT
GROUP FITNESS CLASSES
ARE
Great
music

37%

Exercise style/
structure/
method

CONSIDERATION OF GROUP
FITNESS:
31% of gym members who
dont currently do fitness
classes to music would
consider

31%

27%

21% of casual
members who dont
currently do fitness
classes to music would
consider

21%

Motivation

28%

21%

21% of lapsed members/

never been a member who
dont currently do fitness
classes to music would
consider.

INSIGHTS

WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE

INTO FITNESS
FACILITIES?

SHIFT FOCUS
TOWARDS
BUILDING VALUE
VERSUS
DISCOUNTING
Apart from 'convenient
location' which is the
primary driver, the mix
of people, atmosphere,
equipment and great
fitness classes are key
value drivers.
Affordable' and 'offer a
good deal' only rank as
the 6th & 11th drivers
respectively.

AMPLIFY THE
PROMOTION AND
OFFERING OF
GREAT FITNESS
CLASSES
#1 'controllable' draw
card
Create synergies with
other drivers; i.e. 'great
atmosphere' and 'my
friends go there.

SELECTION
AND
MAINTENANCE OF
EQUIPMENT
REMAINS
FUNDAMENTAL
3rd highest driver for
all ages and very
important to
Millennials.

5. GROUP FITNESS
EXERCISERS

WHO IS DOING FITNESS CLASS

ACTIVITIES?

36%

OF REGULAR EXERCISERS CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN FITNESS

CLASS ACTIVITIES.

52%

JUST OVER HALF OF REGULAR EXERCISERS WHO ARE NOT

CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN FITNESS CLASS ACTIVITIES WOULD
CONSIDER.

MILLENNIALS (18-34) ARE MORE LIKELY

TO BE DOING FITNESS CLASS ACTIVITIES
6 TIMES
BIGGER
THAN BABY
BOOMERS
(50 TO 60
YEARS).

THE
LARGEST
SEGMENT
ACROSS 2.5 TIMES
ALL AGE BIGGER
GEN X
GROUPS THAN
(35 TO 49
YEARS)

FEMALES, and more specifically FEMALE

MILLENNIALS, are more likely to be doing
fitness class activities

THE DOMINANT PROFILE FEMALE

OUTNUMBERING MALES 5:1

USER FACTS

GROUP FITNESS
EXERCISERS

LONGER TENURE AMONG

MEMBERS
9%

11%

HIGHER ATTENDANCE
45% gym attendees who participate in group fitness visit their
gym 5+ times per week. In comparison to only 34% for all gym
attendees.

11%

9%

vs.
remain
loyal for more than 5 years.

29%

61%

38%

51%

38%

of gym attendees
attending group fitness
classes remain loyal for 1
to 5 years versus 29% for
total gym attendees.

51%

In comparison to
for gym attendees who
participate in group fitness.
All gym
attendees

Gym attendees
who participate
in group fitness

New (less than 12m)

61%

of all gym
attendees are with their
facility for less than 12
months.

CANCELLATION
RATES
46% of group fitness users
are likely to cancel their
membership or stop attending
their gym if their preferred
class was cancelled.

LEADS
GENERATION
84% of group fitness
attendees recommend their
current facility to their
friends and family compared
to 76% of gym attendees.
Just over half of regular
exercisers who are not
currently participating in
fitness classes would.

34%

45%

56%
54%

10%
All gym
attendees

1%
Gym attendees
who participate
in group fitness

High (5+ times a week)

Medium (1-5 years)

Medium (1-4 times per week)

Long (5+ years)

Low (less than once per week)

CONSIDERER FACTS

GROUP FITNESS
EXERCISERS

Convenient schedule times

Instructor

30%

Exercise style / structure / method

Energy of a big group

KEY PARTICIPANTS DRIVERS:

27%

26%

26%

SUBSTANCE
OVER

STYLE
IS THE IDEAL
INSTRUCTOR
PREFERENCE

50%

37%

Motivation

28%

57%

51%

44%

Large Small amount Price of

room of people in class
the class

42%
Instructor

MAIN BARRIERS TO ATTENDING :

KEY DRIVERS ARE:

Great
music

WHEN
CONSIDERING
'FITNESS
CLASSES TO
MUSIC', THE
FOLLOWING IS
MOST
IMPORTANT
TO MEMBERS.

Exercise style/
structure/
method

A DISLIKE OF BEING CROWDED. CROWDING IS

CONSIDERED 2X AS IMPORTANT AS A DETERRENT.

27%

A DISLIKE OF WORKING OUT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

PRICE OF CLASSES (IF ADDITIONAL TO MEMBERSHIP).

INSIGHTS

GROUP FITNESS
EXERCISERS

GROUP FITNESS MATTERS OPERATORS CAN HAVE

CONFIDENCE THAT IF WELL EXECUTED, IT CAN
DRIVE ATTENDANCE, RETENTION, REFERRALS AND
MEMBERSHIP GROWTH.
Offering
programs that
are relevant to
Women and
Millennials

Building bigger studios Participants

rank 'the energy of big group' number
one driver and considerers rank 'a large
room as the most important driver
OPERATORS
(57%).
CAN IMPROVE

OVERALL
PARTICIPATION
BY
Investing in recruitment
and training of
instructors. Members
are demanding higher
quality and more
coaching.

Promoting different aspects

whether you are talking to users or
considerers. With considerers
focus on:

Great music, a motivating environment and

great programing delivered by a well educated
coach.
Assisted versus Group - working out with
other people is what puts non-attendees off.
Not crowded, small group training.

6. LES MILLS

FACTS

LES MILLS

INSIGHTS

OFFERING LES MILLS IS THE PROVEN WAY TO

INCREASE GROUP FITNESS ATTENDANCE,
MEMBER LOYALTY, REFERRALS AND THEREFORE
MEMBERSHIP ACQUISITION, RETENTION AND
PROFIT.

93%

of Les Mills users have recommended their

current facility to friends and family, compared to

84%

of 'group fitness attendees' and

'gym attendees'.

third of the market

know of Les Mills

On average Les Mills users attend

76%

of

52%

of gym
attendees know of Les
Mills

3.1

classes per week

INVESTING ON
RESULTS
Les Mills is a strategic choice
for those operators looking to
increase group fitness
attendance, member loyalty,
referrals and therefore
membership and profit.

PARTNERING WITH THE

BEST
Les Mills allows operators to
focus on member experience
execution using 'best in class
resources', avoiding the
pitfalls of trying to create and
execute member experience
programs.
Les Mills has researched
backed tools to help
operators survive and thrive.

www.lesmills.com