Gyms adopt diverse business models to keep members coming back for more

Gyms adopt diverse business models to keep members coming back for more

2026-03-03

Everyone knows the importance of exercise, but our sedentary lifestyle makes it seem like an impossible challenge. What’s more, some of us may even be inundated with commitments like young children and pets, which keep us away from the gym. If that’s the case, then here’s some good news. Gyms today have now adopted several business models that address these issues, and maybe there’s just the right place for you, right here in our weekly special.

Rebounding, or mini-trampoline exercises has become an increasingly popular workout. It’s not as taxing as running, but still burns calories, making it an attractive option for many people who want to become fitter.

Xiaowei
Rebounding coach
Many office workers come here to lose weight. Because they sit for long hours in the office, they complain about widening hips. Later on they find that rebounding helps them slim down the lower half of the body, and at the same time, our workouts are short in duration and really cost-effective.

According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity had become the fourth leading risk factor for death. In Taiwan, 46% of the population has inadequate levels of physical activity. The most inactive subset is office workers between the ages of 30 and 54.

Office worker
I usually only get up from the desk every hour or two. On an eight-hour workday, I spend pretty much all eight hours sitting.

Office worker
I sit for probably a total of six hours every day. My feet go numb and my hands become sore quite easily. I also don’t go to the bathroom as I should, but I’m so used to it that I don’t really feel it after holding it in for a while.

Wang Ssu-heng
PM&R physician
To live, you must move. That’s no exaggeration. Our muscles require long-term movement to stay healthy. When we’re sitting, especially in front of a computer, we might lean forward like this. If you feel around your waist, neck and shoulder in this position, you’ll notice that the muscles are exerting force, and for a long duration, too. So you can imagine how much stress the muscles endure being contracted like this day after day, year after year.

Mr. Feng is a 26-year-old office worker at an animation company. On weekdays, he basically spends all 8 working hours sitting in front of the computer. On days off, he likes to play videogames and with the phone. As a result, he often has back pain and even has a mild case of carpel tunnel syndrome, as well as poor posture.

Mr. Feng
Office worker
I think the most obvious would be the shoulders. I really do feel a lot of tension in the neck and shoulders. Also the back. When I’m always sitting, my back gets sore. Sometimes I feel a sort of fatigue, as if my body is out of my control.

Sitting for long hours easily causes muscle stiffness. Coupled with poor posture, it could even lead to kyphosis, or an excessive forward rounding of the upper back. A sedentary lifestyle could also lead to diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. In severe cases, these chronic health issues could even lead to acute stoke and paralysis. So, what can we do when we can’t change our sedentary lifestyle?

Wang Ssu-heng
PM&R physician
There’s a concept called micro-workouts that’s being promoted now. It means we need to get up and move every 30 minutes—every hour at least. The workouts are quite simple, too. For example, you could do ten squats. Personally what I do is take the stairs from the seventh to the eighth floor and then back down to get back to work. That way, your muscles can get a break from being in the same unmoving position. Moreover, exercise has several benefits. First, it improves blood circulation throughout your body. Muscles with good blood circulation are less likely to become sore. Second, people who exercise have stronger muscles, which are more able to withstand the stress of sitting for long periods of time.

In order to feel good in his body again, Mr. Feng sought professional assistance from a gym. He does light stretches to relieve his carpal tunnel syndrome, and also does flexes on gym equipment to realign his shoulder blades. These exercises allowed him to gradually correct his kyphosis.

Shao Wei-ming
Fitness coach
In the beginning, he may feel less sore and notice a gradual difference in posture. Towards the final stages, which is usually 12 weeks later, he may start to really feel a difference.

With the coach’s regimen tailored to his needs, and changes to his posture and habits, Mr. Feng, who had just started exercising, already felt that his physical strength had improved. However, he also admitted that the thought of giving up exercise had never left his mind.

Mr. Feng
Office worker
My initial motivation to start exercising was to relieve the discomfort caused by soreness. However, doing these high-impact workouts could make me feel sore for three days. It feels counterintuitive.

Shao Wei-ming
Fitness coach
A great tip is to do regular strength tests. For example, we can use some simple equipment to test your strength. It’s like an exam. If you’re taking an exam, then you must prepare. In other words, you’ll stay disciplined.

Quantified training results help students stay motivated and gives them sense of accomplishment. Many gyms use the same method to keep their members. But there are also places that aren’t so hardcore, but people keep coming back for more, nonetheless.

One example is Xiaowei’s rebounding class. It’s less intimidating for students who did not used to exercise regularly. It’s also great for families with young children.

Ms. Ku
Mother of 1
She likes to exercises. Rebounding, swimming, gymnastics, she enjoys all of those.

Ms. Ku’s five-year-old daughter may be a little camera shy, but once she gets on the trampoline, she really gets into it, for 40 minutes straight. Another mother of young kids, Ms. Hsu, also takes her two children here once a week for fun.

Ms. Hsu
Mother of 2
I really enjoy exercising with them. Sometimes I’m a little too strict on them with schoolwork, but exercising on the weekend really helps everyone relax and improves parent-child relationships. Sometimes when I’m feeling lazy and not exercising with them, my son would tell me not to be lazy and go jump on the trampoline with him.

Ching-hsin
Mother of 1
Having to take care of my kid takes away time to do things I want to do or from exercising. So I try to find a place that can accommodate children. It’s more convenient for me this way.

Ching-hsin started exercising regularly two years ago, but her new routine used to feel too high-maintenance, taking away from time with her son.

Ching-hsin
Mother of 1
It wasn’t easy to find a child-friendly place. In many other places I worry for the safety of my kid, and I may still have to check on him while exercising. But at this place, I can see directly what my kid is up to. The owner and coaches are all very friendly too, so it feels less stressful for me.

In the one hour that Ching-hsin exercises, her son also keeps himself busy doodling on the mirrors, playing with toys in the adjacent room and even does his homework. Sometimes he interrupts the lesson, but the coach doesn’t seem to mind at all.

Stanley
Fitness coach
I have two young kids myself, so I really understand the kind of environment and space parents with young kids would need if they want to work out. I’ve been to large gyms before. In most places, you can’t bring your children, because there’s no one to take care of the kids. I believe many people feel the same. They may really want to exercise, but there’s also the question of young kids that makes them unable to commit to a routine. So I believe that my space can help these people feel a peace of mind when they’re exercising.

Child-friendly gyms like this are a great choice for parents who have to keep their kids with them. But what if your kids are the furry kind?

We were greeted by two adorable pups as soon as we set foot inside here.

Kevin
Pet-friendly gym owner
This is Doffy, he’s a golden-colored mixed breed. It’s 14 years old already. It really enjoys cuddling and pats on the backside. When it bumps into you with the backside, it means it’s time for pats. This one here is Baby. It’s also here every day. It’s a spitz.

At this pet-friendly gym, members can bring their cats and dogs with them. There are also cats and dogs belonging to staff here. In fact, both Doffy and Baby are Kevin’s. They come to the gym with him every day.

Kevin
Pet-friendly gym owner
Before, I’d leave them at home when I’m at work. I’d feel bad for them, and I could only check them through my phone, which shows home security camera footage. later I thought, if I wanted to open a gym myself, it’s got to be pet-friendly. So now I take them here when I come to work, and bring them home with me at the end of the day.

On the day we’re here, there’s a total of five cats and two dogs. Kevin jokes that the pets are what draws people in, and that many people see this place as a pet café where you can exercise. It’s even attracted members that didn’t used to enjoy exercising.

Kevin
Pet-friendly gym owner
Some of our members would send a text message to check if their favorite cat or dog is here before coming. So that’s great. But we might lose customers that are allergic or afraid of them. But even so, we gain customers that love animals.

Bella is a loyal member of this gym. She sometimes brings her own cat, Snoopy to socialize it.

Bella
Pet-friendly gym member
What makes this place different is that when you work out to a certain extent, you’d start to feel tired. But being able to play with the cats is really cute and helps you relax very quickly and then you’d no longer feel tired and you’d also feel happier.

Even though everyone knows the importance of exercise, it may not always seem fun. Only when you can truly enjoy your workouts will you be able to really stay motivated and reap the benefits.

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