Anyone a member of 'The Gym Group' gyms? Any feedback?

JamesFuller

Hi there,

Is anyone a member of 'The Gym Group' here? Any feedback on their gym facilities and using the gym?

I know there are various gyms from this group but I am just seeking some feedback from the gym you go to (location would help in your post).

custardy

Friend uses them,happy with them.
moved from Pure Gym as they were cheaper.
I'm actually a member too,except they are months behind schedule opening the new gym................

JamesFuller

What is the process like to cancel membership?

custardy

JamesFuller wrote: »

What is the process like to cancel membership?

I would find out the same way you can,checking their site.

annandale

You can cancel at any time I believe. No cancellation period. The reason their memberships are so cheap is that they dont pay their PTs a wage. They are all on self employed contracts and work the hours on the gym floor for no wage, the only money they get is if someone buys PT from them, they dont get paid for the classes they teach either.

I go to my local leisure centre, which is slightly more expensive, but they pay their gym instructors and they pay the people who come in self employed to teach the classes.

JamesFuller

annandale wrote: »

You can cancel at any time I believe. No cancellation period. The reason their memberships are so cheap is that they dont pay their PTs a wage. They are all on self employed contracts and work the hours on the gym floor for no wage, the only money they get is if someone buys PT from them, they dont get paid for the classes they teach either.

I go to my local leisure centre, which is slightly more expensive, but they pay their gym instructors and they pay the people who come in self employed to teach the classes.

This sounds unfair to PT's? Or have I missed something?

I get that working in a gym for free means access to people but I don't understand the not getting paid for gym classes bit. Would like to understand how this works.

custardy

JamesFuller wrote: »

This sounds unfair to PT's? Or have I missed something?

I get that working in a gym for free means access to people but I don't understand the not getting paid for gym classes bit. Would like to understand how this works.

The classes are a way to generate a client base.
Pure gym run the same set up.

JamesFuller

Anymore people who have been to this gym franchise?

annandale

I worked for pure gym for a year. People don't have to take Pt out. My classes were always booked a week in advance with a waiting list. A small amount of my clients came from classes.

Success can depend on many factors. I know someone who was clearing 500 quid a week. I also know someone who made 60 quid in six months. Ive seen great PTs struggle and others who werent as good make a lot of money.

Of the 11 people that started at the gym I used to work for two years ago one Pt is still there. The turnover is huge.

Pure gym are always recruiting and I'd suggest that's because their model really doesn't work, particularly in areas where there's not a lot of spare cash.

You also pay for your uniform and you pay a 240 a year licence fee to work at pure. At the gym group it's sixty.

Its also v difficult for someone to work there and have part time work around it. Even if you only have 10-11 clients you can be in the gym six days a week.

annandale

My biggest issue with pure gym in the end was safety. It is very much sink or swim when it comes down to teaching classes. I have my exercise to music. My gym instructor qualification and Im a qualified PT.

The training we got during induction was delivered by a master trainer and he was excellent. But two days training doesnt prepare someone who has never taught classes before for the experience of getting up in front of a class.

In my local council gym people who teach pump for example will teach Les Mills. They'll have to train, pass it and then do workshops as well.

At pure you get a masterclass, you'll get a couple of days training once you are six months or so in the job and then you are left to go away and make up your own classes.

They also have people teaching classes that they aren't qualified to teach. Spin with no spin qualification. Step and aerobics with no ETM and step qualificaton.

To teach a freestyle step class I had to have my ETM and do a separate step workshop. There are people in pure who are teaching step with a PT qualification and that is it. If someone got injured in their class their insurance wouldn't cover it.

And, managers get targets if the Gym get a set number of net gains every month. PTs are asked to help leaflet on shift. Do door to door leafleting on shift (for no money). Stand in all weathers handing out leaflets to people.

My ex manager got a six grand a year bonus if the gym hit target.

To put it into some kind of context, the gym I worked for had around 5000 members, less than one per cent were taking PT. There is also no matching of clients to trainers in all gyms, if you wanted PT and emailed the gym saying so, a manager might give you the contact, but in some gyms they won't. In a year I think I was given one lead.

There are probably some gyms whose staff are very pro active in helping the staff build a client base, but it wasn't like that in mine and you can end up being there 6 days a week for very little return.

I would certainly advise asking to see the staff's certs for the classes they are teaching, because as a participant you have the right to know that your PT is qualified to teach the classes they are actually delivering.

Under no circumstances at my local council gym would any fitness instructor be allowed to teach a class they werent actually qualified to deliver. It just would not happen.

You also have zero employment rights as you are self employed. If you want a day off you have to find someone else to cover your shift.

If they want to get rid of you you get put on a 30 day notice and if you want to leave you do the same.

I had numerous people think I was rolling in cash because my classes were busy and they were more or less booked a week in advance.

PTs in a gym in a small town where people dont have a lot of spare cash will struggle to make the money the London PTs do

Also just to say that as far as Im aware the gym group dont have a studio for clients to do classes in, everything takes place on the gym floor.

(Which some people dont really like).

The gyms also set a rate that the Pts must charge which is good as it stops people undercutting one another, in theory, but a guy in my gym was charging 2.50 an hour for PT when the going rate was 25

JamesFuller

Interesting insight annandale.

What about the people who came to the gym? What is the quality of these people attending the gym?

I imagine being so cheap it must invite some right chavs?

Also, any comment on the gym equipment and facilities provided?