How often do you go to the gym a week?

Around 2 days a week.

What was your weekly attendance five years ago?

Much more frequent, around 4 days a week.

Ten years ago?

None, no gym attendance 10 years ago.

What, if anything, has changed your attendance?

Primary reasons for changes in attendance were cited as time and convenience concerns as well

as various physiological changes such as joint pain and stiffness.

The study that I looked at was titled “A Study on Consumer Behavior of Commercial Health and

Fitness Club—A Case of Consumers in Liverpool”, it is slightly outdated being published in

2013 or 2014 and looks at a foreign market for gym attendance but I believe the overall findings

to still be relevant and applicable. One of the first things discussed in the study is how those with

children are less likely to attend a gym which is certainly applicable to the interviewee as 10

years ago they had to take care of a young child which likely impeded their ability to exercise.

The key hurdles to gym attendance were found to be a general lack of interest or motivation

(around 33%) and the financial burden of gym attendance (around 13%), respondents stated that

they do not have time to exercise, find it un-enjoyable, and become intimidated or anxious. The

need for social exercise settings was unpredictable as to whether the social aspect of excercising

with friends or a group played a large role in attendance, consumers are either inclined to
exercise on their own or use social groups to aid motivation. “In the primary research, 30.82%

stated that improving health was their main motivation, followed by “to lose weight” (23.29%),

“look good” (14.38%) and “relax” (11.64%).”. Gym membership was most attractive to 16- to

35-year-olds.

Overall, the findings of the study certainly align with what I discovered through the interview. 10

years ago, when the interviewee claimed zero gym attendance the primary reason was

convenience as between their work life and childcare it was difficult to find the time and

motivation for exercise as a form of leisure, as their children grew up and their work schedule

allowed more freedom we see their gym attendance expand greatly only to ultimately fall again

due to issues with motivation and health. As well as limiters for gym attendance, the motivations

are also accurate as the interviewee cited an overall concern for health and body image as the

main motivation. I also found the study to support my own experience with gym attendance, I

don’t currently attend a gym with the key reasons being lack of interest or motivation, so I join

the 33% in the study, however, when I did attend, I also found my drivers to be very similar with

the key motivation being improved health and body image.

Sources:

Zhang, W., & Li, Y. (2014). A study on consumer behavior of Commercial Health and Fitness

Club—a case of consumers in Liverpool. American Journal of Industrial and Business

Management, 04(01), 58–69. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajibm.2014.41010