When I was just a young pup training every day, it was a sense of pride when I would be overcome with soreness after a workout. Now that I am older, maybe even a little bit smarter, I try to avoid feeling so much pain in my body that I struggle to walk up a flight of stairs on leg day. And I am not the only one. Recovery equipment in gyms is now as important as the fitness equipment. The fitness recovery market was valued at about $8.5 billion last year, and it is increasing quickly. 

It wasn’t long ago that having a “recovery zone” in a gym was an unexpected added perk, an area to rehab after a tough workout. Now, it is a premium service that people are willing to pay up for. A few of the larger brand-name gyms are claiming a 30 percent growth in revenue after adding recovery zones in the last year.

Now Is the Time to Add a Recovery Zone to Your Gym

The great Ricky Bobby once said, “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” in the film Talladega Nights. However, if you haven’t jumped on the recovery train yet for your gym, it’s not too late. But don’t wait until all of your competitors have surpassed you in this area. As one of the first gyms with a recovery zone, you will attract new members. 

Gyms with recovery equipment have higher retention rates, members come more often and stay longer, and it can draw in the longevity-focused clients that are the current fastest growing population of gym-goers.

Recovery Will Add Profit

People will pay extra in their battle to fight inflammation. It will be up to you to figure out the best approach for collecting the added revenue. With that said, here are a few ways other gyms are capturing those extra dollars, and all can be done through the Gym Insight software.

• The Universal Approach: An added ten-dollar monthly fee for all members. However, there are people who will be turned off by this if they do not see the value in it. 
• Have a Recovery Membership Available: This would be for people who are not interested in working out, but would still like to use the recovery equipment. 
• Add a Premium Membership Tier: Bundle the fitness membership with a recovery membership for added revenue.

How to Get Started

The first step is to designate an area in your gym for the recovery zone. It has to be an adequate size for the equipment you will be bringing in. However, the area has to have a sense of privacy as well, since recovery is also about relaxation. But keep in mind, you are promoting this recovery zone, too, so you want the members to view it often. You don’t want it to fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” category like the unused strength-training equipment that is tucked away in the corners of your gym. As members view and become more intrigued by the various recovery tools, they will want to partake in the experience. (Once they feel the benefits for themselves, you’ve got them.)

The next step is to find the right equipment. Surveying members about what they would like to see would be a good start. As with everything in the gym business, return on investment (ROI) is key. By shopping around, you can get more bang for your buck. Listed below are some of the more popular recovery tools to be aware of. 

• Many infrared saunas can be plugged into a normal outlet. Some include light therapy as well. Keep it to a one-person or two-person sauna as they will be less costly to heat. Couples will often want to use the sauna together.
• Cold plunges are the rage right now, but to avoid plumbing, a dry plunge (with no need to remove clothes) is the perfect alternative. 
• Wellness pods are usually dimly lit, are well heated, have a vibrating bed or chair, red light therapy, aromatherapy, and a touch screen that allows the users to control what is taking place. They can also be outfitted with audio or visual media and even enhanced oxygen therapy. 
• Massage chairs are simple plug-and-play devices that members can use as a self-service option. 
• Smaller recovery tools such as foam rollers, bands, and stretching stations are easy to add without much cost. 
• Compression boots, sleeves, and wraps are perfect to improve circulation and add a premium feel to your gym.

Educate Your Members

If adding a recovery zone to your gym is going to be profitable, then you will have to start a campaign to educate your members on why recovery matters. By sending out emails, texts, having signs in the gym, and educational workshops, it will increase awareness enough to get the members to realize the added value.

Reach Out to Medical Professionals

Never stop marketing your gym. Contact the doctors, nurses, and physical therapists in your area and inform them of the recovery services you offer. Their patients could soon be your new members. By providing these people a free session of their choice, it could very well lead to them coming a few times a week just to use your gym’s recovery equipment.

Gym Insight

Gym Insight is a gym management software company established in 2008, dedicated to providing custom-designed subscription software. We deliver:

• Cloud-based payment processing
• Member management tools
• Integrated Point of Sale software
• Tablet-based sales automation
• A fully integrated platform
• A free members app
• 24/7 Digital Keytag access
• U.S.-based customer support