Diets

How to open a gym, where to start? How to open a gym: a detailed business plan with instructions

Given the popularity of gyms, opening a fitness center is a profitable business. But organizational issues and the choice of specifics to ensure more income require a serious approach so that in the end you do not have to burn out due to expenses.

Market competition and potential customers

According to experts and people with experience in this field, the sports business will be profitable only in settlements where the population starts from 30,000. At the same time, it is necessary to look at the competition. Already 2-3 full-fledged and long-term sports clubs will not allow you to reach the desired profit. If there are no competitors, then the payback will be at least 2 years.

If you are worried that your business will not be in demand, keep in mind that according to statistics, 1% of the population uses any kind of service. That is, in a city with 30 thousand, at least 300 people will become your customers. This is quite acceptable for a microdistrict in a metropolis.

We draw up a business plan based on the main client base (see also). Think about who can become your potential client? If you plan to open in the city center, then office managers will begin to visit you, whose work is sedentary and a subscription to training near the office will suit many.

In general, you can target the following groups:

Office workers;
Schoolchildren and students;
Girls who follow the figure;
Bodybuilders.

All these four groups can easily coexist in the same gym, for this you don’t even need to profile the simulators, but if you are targeting a specific clientele, then certain nuances should be taken into account. For example, for semi-professional bodybuilders and powerlifters, it is preferable to have strength training equipment in the maximum variety, and for losing weight, aerobic exercise and an appropriate auxiliary arsenal are needed.

What should be a fitness room?

What do visitors expect from the gym? This is a very important issue and in your business project you must take into account the nuances that will require you to invest from the very beginning.

An ideal gym is bright, emotionally inviting, with a lot of mirrors. The training range is varied and separate equipment is presented in large quantities. Pleasant music plays in the background, motivating to do even more. There is always an experienced trainer in the gym and the overall atmosphere is friendly. At any time there are no queues either in the hall itself or in the simulators.

To achieve this picture, consider the following questions:

You will need a building or room with large windows and perfect ventilation;
Indoors, you need to either think over or find a room with adjacent showers;
Acoustics will need to be worked out;
Purchase and think over a combination of simulators in advance;
Find professional trainers;
Calculate the approximate attendance of the hall and the system of discounts so that there are no voids or vice versa - overcrowding of the room.

Renting premises and its arrangement

Perhaps the most difficult issue in any business is the choice of premises and the lease of the building. It is expensive in the center, but there is a lot of traffic, and in a residential area it is accessible, but attendance is initially limited. In this matter, you need to focus on your clientele.

Hall selection

If you are targeting office workers, then they prefer a room in the center, in the same place where they work. So you can negotiate with companies in the future to provide subscriptions with discounts to all their employees. This is a business with a large scale, so saving on rent in this case is inappropriate.

On the other hand, if you are targeting semi-professional athletes, the so-called “jocks”, who strive to keep themselves in shape and create something like a community, then for such an audience you can rent a basement in a residential area. Starting costs in this case will be much less, but the repair and arrangement of the hall depends on the initial state of the premises. It is usually more difficult to install showers, ventilation and sewerage in basement halls, but if this is already provided, then the rent will be very cheap.

The minimum area even for the smallest gym is 100 sq. m.

In the case of focusing on losing weight and just active people, choose a room in the central part of the city, but with a convenient entrance. For example, on the minimum passable street next to the main one. The building should inspire confidence from the doorstep, as it is important for girls to study in prestigious halls. Semi-basement clubs are not for them, as is the prospect of going to the very center in traffic jams.

When choosing a room, pay attention to the ceilings. Their height must be at least 3.5 meters, because otherwise it is difficult to ensure the purity of air flows. It is impossible to resolve the issue due to ventilation alone - there will be either closeness or drafts.

The ceiling rule does not work only with basements, but there ceilings do not heat up from the sun, and ventilation circulates air, all other things being equal, more intensively. The gym must have a shower and toilet. Without them, the gym will not be in demand. If the building is suitable in all respects, but it is impossible to equip showers in it, give up the idea and look for options further.

Repair

Even if you rent a room where the gym used to be, the floors need to be redone. They should be warm, soft and non-conductive. Ideally it should be like this:

On the monolith - PVC moisture insulation;
Expanded clay backfill;
Chipboard layer;
foam plastic;
Decorative processing.

You also need to consider that there should be mats in the places of power simulators.

The repair must be supervised by the chief utility engineer and his team. This will help in the future to resolve the issue of reclassification if, for example, you rent the basement of a residential high-rise building.

As for decorative repairs and design, it is also better to use the services of a professional here, since the hall should aesthetically attract the attention of customers. Consider partitions, locker rooms, office furniture at the entrance.

Equipment and trainers

Regardless of who the gym is aimed at, the premises should be provided with:

cardio simulators;
power simulators;
fitness mats;
bicycles;
Treadmills;
fitballs;
racks, benches and bars;
steppes;
dumbbells;
hoops;
jump ropes.

If you are considering opening a general gym and you have competitors, go to them and see what is in demand. This is necessary to make a minimum of errors at the stage of equipment procurement.

Never buy cheap equipment. This usually involves rapid breakdown and even injury to the trainees.

To get an idea of how many machines you need for your chosen gym, count 15-16 machines for every 100 sq. m. That is, if the area of your hall is 100 square meters. m., then 15 simulators are all you need. More equipment is not worth buying, because you always need to consider the distance between the simulators and the general place to enter.

Exercising in the gym, as part of a healthy lifestyle, is gaining more and more popularity. And this is not surprising. To visit the gym, you do not need to look at the weather outside the window, you can just take a sports uniform and go to training.We are also interested in how to open a gym from scratch. Therefore, we will consider this business in more detail.

Drawing up a business plan

Before you start your business, you need to have a ready-made gym business plan. It should include the main types of expenses. For example:

the cost of renting premises from 20 to 50 thousand rubles / month;
staff wages 80 thousand rubles / month;
funds for advertising 10-20 thousand rubles / month;
capital for the purchase of simulators 200-300 thousand rubles;
current expenses. This may include unexpected costs, for example, to repair a broken pipe or other unforeseen expenses of 10-15 thousand rubles / month;
payment of utility bills 15-25 thousand rubles / month
payment of taxes and fees depending on the form of ownership.

Accordingly, the minimum expenses will be 135 thousand rubles / month, plus money for the purchase of simulators and the payment of taxes.Since in the example considered, our operating expenses are 135 thousand rubles / month, respectively, with a subscription price of 1.5 thousand rubles, we need to attract 90 people in order to break even. To make a profit, customers, of course, must be more. After all, we need not only to cover the costs, but also to make a profit and recoup the money spent on equipment. It is worth considering a good strategy to attract more customers.

Premises selection

When choosing a room for your future gym, you need to proceed from the correct ratio of price and location. It is not necessary to have premises in the city center to run a successful business. It is enough that it is located in places of high traffic of people. This may be near metro stations or near a university. Opening a gym in a residential area will also be quite successful, as it is convenient for people to go to workouts close to home.

The size of the future hall should be at least 100 square meters. m. With a smaller area, it will be difficult to provide for the availability of all the necessary facilities - locker rooms, showers, toilets and a normal-sized training room. In general, when determining the area of the future premises, one should proceed from the considerations that a minimum of 2 sq.m is required for each potential client. Actually, it should be understood that with a room size of 100 sq.m, 50 people can comfortably stay in it, 200 sq.m - 100 people. Therefore, when choosing a room, you need to take into account the number of desired customers.

The main training rooms should be well ventilated to avoid stuffiness and high humidity. The presence of air conditioning is also very desirable, otherwise in the summer the flow of customers will be greatly reduced.

Showers are required in the gym. Actually, the lack of showers is a significant minus that can play a fatal role. After all, some attend training before work, and just after playing sports, you need to put yourself in order.

We select a room

Pay attention to the condition of the room. It might need renovation. This may result in additional costs. Then this money will also need to be taken into account when calculating the starting capital.The money invested in repairs can be quite substantial. In order to repair a room of 150 sq.m, with a toilet and two showers, a minimum of 100-150 thousand rubles will be required. This is provided that you do not have to change the wiring and communications.

Collection of necessary documentation

First you need to choose and register the legal form of your future business in the tax office. At first, it will be easier and easier to register as an individual entrepreneur. This will help to avoid additional costs for accounting and make it possible to use a simplified taxation scheme.

When registering, you must indicate the codes of the all-Russian classifier of types of economic activity (OKVED) for the services that you will provide. Here is the list of codes:

physical culture and health-improving activity 93.04;
other sports activities 92.62;
activity of sports facilities 92.61.

The only thing to keep in mind is that if you expand the range of services in the future (for example, add a children's room), then you should indicate this in advance.Then we get permission from Rospotrebnadzor. This will require the availability of medical documents from employees, a contract for the maintenance of the premises, a passport for a sports facility and a production control plan (PPC).

Equipment selection

To equip the hall with the necessary simulators, you need to carefully consider their number so that it is possible to work out all muscle groups. It is also worth considering that our estimated number of clients can be engaged at the same time. The list of equipment below is designed for a 100 sq. m.

Equipped gym room

Minimum number of trainers:

horizontal bench 3-4 pieces;
press simulator 2-3 pcs.;
bench with a leg machine and a barbell rack 2-3 pieces;
leg press simulator 2-3 pcs.;
simulator for the development of chest muscles 1-2 pcs.;
Smith machine 1-2 pieces;
treadmill 1-2 pieces;
various barbells, dumbbells, disks and many other little things.

Dumbbells and discs for barbells should be several pieces of different weights, so that it is easy for clients to train with the right weight.The above set is the minimum. If the area of the premises and funds allow you to purchase more equipment, then you should buy:

emphasis for the press;
traction of the upper block;
hyperextension;
t-simulator;
crossover.

When purchasing simulators, you should look at good manufacturers. Perhaps, to save money, it is worth buying not new, but already used units. This will allow you to buy high-class equipment with significant savings.

In general, gym equipment should be reliable and durable - these are the main selection criteria.

Customer acquisition

To attract as many customers as possible, you need to conduct an advertising campaign.You can hire students to distribute flyers in crowded places (at the entrance to shopping centers, supermarkets and subways) and stick information sheets on poles and a bulletin board near your hall.

Distribution of leaflets

Develop loyalty programs for regular customers. Expandrange of services and training programs to reach a wider population. Design special programs for women and teenagers. This will increase the number of potential visitors.

Recruitment

When selecting staff, you need to remember that a good team is the key to your successful business.When choosing coaches, you can communicate with physical education teachers from nearby schools. Their workload and salary is low and it is possible to hire a good specialist for a moderate fee. It is also worth considering candidates for the position with experience in coaching in sports schools and sections.

Pay attention that your employees, especially trainers, do not have bad habits. Gym employees drinking or smoking on the porch is a negative image of your business.

In principle, for a small gym, it will be enough to hire two coaches who will work in shifts. It would be nice, of course, to have a cleaning lady and an administrator, but, in principle, an administrator can combine these two positions. The minimum number of staff is five people.

Benefits of the sports business

The segment of this business is still quite free and there is an opportunity to avoid high competition. Therefore, it is worth considering the gym as a business. The payback period for such a business is from one to one and a half years. That with a fairly small investment makes it very attractive.With the right strategy to attract customers and the right choice of location, you can achieve high profitability and a good level of income.

In contact with

HLS (healthy lifestyle) is an obligatory component of the image of any successful person. It is worth noting that fitness services are very popular these days. Therefore, it is not surprising that information on how to open a fitness club from scratch excites many novice businessmen. In popularity, this direction is second only to information technology and the entertainment business, for example,.

In big cities, there are a sufficient number of large fitness centers and very strong competition from network monsters. In the conditions of a small town, it is much easier to bring this idea to life. However, only a few are able to survive, namely those businessmen who can competently organize a business, soberly assessing their opportunities and possible risks. Let's talk about how to open a sports business from scratch and what awaits aspiring entrepreneurs who are going to develop this area.

How to open your own fitness club from scratch?

To open a sports center with start-up capital, you must:

decide what services the future fitness club will offer;
collect the required documentation;
choose a room;
to purchase equipment and shells;
hire qualified staff;
take care of advertising.

Fitness services

A modern sports club is not limited to a gym and a fitness training area. This is a whole project that combines a large number of complexes designed to increase efficiency, develop and strengthen the body and spirit.

Over the past decades, the range of group programs has expanded significantly. Various types of yoga are increasingly found in the schedules of fitness clubs. All kinds of dance programs are offered and even author's training complexes, consisting of elements of yoga, Pilates and stretching. For lovers of the pool and those who want to lose weight, there are water aerobics classes.

In addition to the above services, fitness clubs can have in their arsenal:

gym;
massage and other medical procedures;
Spa;
sauna and/or hammam;
solarium;
manicure;
bar, etc.

A fitness club can offer either part or a whole range of these services. However, you need to start with a limited set, subsequently expanding this range. The presence of a swimming pool will have a positive impact on the status of the sports center, but, on the other hand, will lead to significant costs. After all, most likely, a novice businessman will have to build his own building in order to open a pool.

Required Documentation

Paperwork and business registration should not cause any difficulties, because their set, as well as the procedure for obtaining them, are standard:

Registration of the legal form in the tax. At the beginning of the activity, it is more expedient to use individual entrepreneurship (IP). This will allow working with a simplified taxation system in the future.
Selection of OKVED indicating:
- 04 - services in the field of sports and recreation;
- 61 - activities of sports institutions;
- 62 - other activities related to sports. If an entrepreneur plans to expand the list of services provided in the future, for example, add a solarium, massage, nail service, then all the necessary OKVED codes must be specified in advance.
Obtaining permission from Rospotrebnadzor. To complete such a document, you need:

contract for the maintenance of ventilation and air conditioning systems;
contract for the maintenance of a housing maintenance office;
an agreement with an organization licensed for the disposal of fluorescent lamps;
medical records for staff;
PPC (industrial control program) and institution passport.

If it is necessary to open some grocery stores, then there is no need to obtain any license to open a fitness club without additional services. The exception is institutions providing medical services.

Room selection

The area and location of the fitness club depend on its format. If you plan to open a sports facility for a narrow purpose, for example, for "neighbors", then you should not consider premises with an area of more than 150 m². Moreover, it can be located in a residential building in one of the sleeping areas of the city. True, in this case it would be more expedient to buy a room, since in this format the rent will be a significant part of the costs.

If you plan to open a fitness club with the “All inclusive” way, then you should think about a larger room. The size will be influenced by the format of the sports facility, the presence of a swimming pool, sauna and other components of a modern club.

The best location in this case would be the city center. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to buy a room, because rent will not be an invoice for such an enterprise, since it will be able to bring good profits.

Large dimensions will accommodate a large number of visitors on its territory, expand the range of services offered to the maximum. And the presence of presentable premises equipped with modern equipment and simulators will interest respectable clients who are willing to pay good money, which, in turn, will lead to an increase in profits.

When choosing a suitable room, it is important to consider the size and terms of the lease agreement. It is clear that this document will differ from . The price for temporary use can be about 30-90 dollars per m². Of course, it is worth looking for areas in the lower price segment. The lease agreement should be concluded for a period of at least 4-5 years. It is this period that should be considered as the latest payback period for invested funds.

Equipment

When choosing equipment for the gym, it is necessary to take into account the needs of clients when working with all muscle groups. The more such needs are satisfied, the more consumers will be.

The minimum set of simulators, which is ideal for quality training, includes the following items:

treadmills (at least two);
fitballs;
exercise bikes;
steppers;
board with rack for horizontal/inclined bench press;
simulator for working out the pectoral muscles;
squat rack;
Smith machine;
exercise machine with free weights for leg flexion/extension;
barbells, dumbbells, pancakes, discs, yoga mats and other trifles.

Advice: don't buy a butterfly trainer, it's a completely useless trainer used mainly to satisfy curiosity.

Everything that was discussed above concerned only simulators. However, in addition to them, a good fitness club also needs equipment of a completely different kind. Locker rooms should be equipped with benches, wardrobes and showers. If the fitness club expects to offer clients the services of a beauty salon, then it will require a nail service, etc.

Staff

When all other points are considered and completed, you can proceed to the recruitment. Only experienced coaches should be hired who have the training and knowledge necessary to conduct effective sessions. The minimum staff in a small gym and shift work consists of:

administrators (2);
fitness instructors (2);
cleaners (2);
accountant (when opening an LLC).

Thus, to open a small fitness club from scratch, you need to hire 6-7 people. In the future, along with the expansion of the range of services offered, there will be a need for additional employees. Nurses, massage therapists, yoga or water gymnastics instructors, etc. may be required.

An important backbone of the team, of course, are the coaches. Their selection should be taken seriously. Preference should be given to former athletes, physical education teachers in schools and universities.

Advertising and promotion

This point should be given special attention, since each person approaches the choice of a gym and a fitness club very scrupulously.

Today, the choice of a sports institution begins with the Internet. Moreover, a potential consumer is looking for a fitness club that satisfies his needs to the maximum, paying attention to the location, the presence of a sauna and a swimming pool, the qualifications of instructors, the availability of modern equipment, etc.

In this regard, the marketing plan should begin with the identification of the target audience. At the same time, the more specific this segment is, the easier it will be to promote the club and the more information about it will fall into the hands of potential consumers.

The first thing to do is to create a colorful website. It is important to fill it with useful and relevant articles about training and proper nutrition. This will cause genuine interest not only in the site, but also in the fitness club itself. The use of SMM technologies will make it possible to spread information about the gym in social networks.

How to open a gym from scratch?

Significant start-up capital is required to enter the market of sports and fitness services and become its full participant. Not all businessmen have the necessary amount, but this is not a reason to abandon the idea of opening a fitness club or gym from scratch. There is a way out - go to the bank and take a loan. At the same time, it is important to understand that with a competent business organization, it may well pay off in 1-3 years. Another option is to enlist the support of private investors who want to improve their image.

Many entrepreneurs are interested in how to open a gym from scratch with a limited wallet. Let's take a look at a few simple ways to save money.

What can you save on?

Gym customers rarely pay attention to the decoration of walls and ceilings in the room. Refusal of elite materials in favor of conventional painting will save the lion's share of money on repairs.
Touching upon the topic of simulators, it is worth noting that it makes no sense to buy expensive sports equipment. Consumers have little interest in the brand and manufacturer. The main thing you should pay attention to when choosing inventory is quality and durability.
An economy-format fitness club does not need expensive advertising (radio, television). It will be enough to stick leaflets around the area, at bus stops, to make a beautiful and bright sign. A good move is advertising on the Internet, for example, in social networks. It is very important that the first customers leave positive feedback about the work of the gym on the network.

Where is the economy irrational?

Staff salary. The staff should consist of highly qualified personnel, and professionals will never work for meager wages.
If the gym is hot and stuffy, customers will simply go to another fitness club. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the room is equipped with high-quality air conditioning and ventilation. This will achieve a comfortable atmosphere in the halls.
Each locker room should have at least 2-3 showers. For these premises, it is advisable to purchase high-quality and expensive sanitary ware that has a presentable appearance and is distinguished by a long service life.

How much does it cost to open a fitness club from scratch?

The lion's share of the costs will be associated with renting or buying premises for a gym. If we consider an average room (250 m²) in Moscow, then the rent for three months will be about 600,000 rubles and more. It is worth noting that not all premises meet the requirements of fitness clubs, which means that you will have to fork out for repairs, which is about 200,000 rubles.

1 How to open a gym from scratch
3 Gym business plan
4 What you need to open a gym
5 Business registration
6 How and how much you can earn at the gym
7 Taxation
8 Business features

Opening your own gym is a great idea. First, useful for all participants. Secondly, popular - more and more people want to be slim and healthy. And thirdly, profitable. Despite the fact that this business requires an initial investment, it quickly pays off and begins to generate a good income.

So let's take a closer look at the idea.

How to open a gym from scratch

The main advantages of the planned enterprise:

Investments in the gym are not as large as in other businesses - for a start, you can get by with a very reasonable amount.
The main investment is the initial one, for further work the costs are small.
With the right approach, high profits are guaranteed.
Short payback period
The "simulator" has almost no seasonality.
A special segment of clients with whom it is pleasant to deal is people with a certain level of income and a responsible attitude to life.
The ability to expand the business - both in the literal sense (to add space, increase the capacity of the hall), and figuratively - for example, to sell sports nutrition, equipment.
Independence from the economic situation - adherents of health will refuse the subscription only when there is nothing to eat.
Simplicity in the organization of work and maintenance of premises.
Wide scope for creativity. You can think of a lot! New programs, competitions, promotions, holidays, competitions

And finally, your personal "bonuses".

First, you raise your personal status. The director of a gym (and later, perhaps, a fitness center) is not the same as the owner of a beer cellar.

Secondly, with the help of preferential and invitational subscriptions, you can establish the necessary business contacts (yes, everyone loves a freebie, and it’s stupid not to take this into account). In addition, you will never again bother what to give to friends, family and partners - think over several options for gifts from the gym, print "tickets" - and at the right time you just have to put your signature!

And thirdly, you can always use the simulators yourself. Accordingly, you will become healthier and more attractive. Otherwise, why go into this business?

We found few cons.

The first is the need for start-up costs. Don't go without investment.
The second is high competition. To withstand it, you will have to do marketing and come up with ways that will attract customers specifically to you.

If you are inspired by the pros and not scared by the cons, then go ahead.

First, write down the concept of your gym, draw up a business plan.
It is important to immediately decide on the level of clientele that you want to focus on - VIP, medium, budget.
Calculate the amount and find funding sources.
Find a suitable room, negotiate with the landlord. Decide on a repair.
Find gym equipment suppliers and trainers.
After that, you can start marketing. Don't put off advertising until the last day. To draw attention to your hall, to find the first clients is not a task of one day.

One of the most pressing issues at the beginning of the journey is, of course, financial. And it depends entirely on the level of clientele that you have chosen. If your solution is a budget option, then the costs will be “budget”. You can find a room simpler (and therefore cheaper), with a variety of simulators, do not bother, do not think about parking.

If your decision is VIP, then spending will be much higher. The location of the hall, convenient access and parking (preferably free for customers), beautiful decoration of the premises - from halls to toilets, novelty and variety of exercise equipment, well-trained staff (from an attentive manager to an efficient cleaning lady), impeccable water supply. A sauna or even a swimming pool is desirable.

For the middle option, you can "set" the level in accordance with your ideas about customers and your financial capabilities.

Of course, higher costs will bring higher profits. There may be many solutions. You choose.

It should be borne in mind that in different cities, as well as in different areas of the same city, the cost of opening a gym can be very different. On average, you can focus on the amount of 500 thousand to 1 million rubles. Let's consider this using the example of a business plan for a “simulator” with a minimum area of 100 sq.

Gym: business plan

First you need to write a description of the project, having fulfilled all the requirements of the legal part. The name of your company, its organizational and legal form. Who are the founders, what is the capital.

The most important part of a business plan is its financial part. You need to decide exactly what funds you are counting on - your own or borrowed, if borrowed - then which ones (a loan can be obtained not only from a bank), when the money will begin to flow.

Let's calculate the "minimum" financial plan for a small gym.

Renting a room on average will cost 40,000 rubles (monthly). It is reasonable to have a margin for paying rent for 2-3 months in advance - after all, on the very first day a crowd of customers will not come running to you. Total 80-120 thousand.

Repair and communications will cost at least 200 thousand rubles.

Equipment - if you save money, you can meet 300 thousand rubles.

Registration of a business will require approximately 10 thousand rubles.

Salary fund (for 1 month) 20-50 thousand rubles. It is better to have a supply for the first couple of months at once.

Advertising is an essential part of a business plan. Don't skimp on it, especially in the beginning. Yes, it would be wise to use all the available opportunities for free PR, but only they will not go far. Billboards, advertising in the media, Internet promotion - all this costs money. It is also desirable to create a website. The site should be made (and maintained) by a professional, so focus on the amount of 10,000 - 50,000 rubles to create a resource and from 10,000 rubles a month to maintain it. For now, let's put 50,000 rubles here.

Total: approximately 700,000 rubles.

This is the start. Further constant payments will be needed - the same rent, salary, communal apartment. The cost of utilities can be immediately clarified with their suppliers. The salary fund is determined based on the staff that you are going to hire. Perhaps in our average case it will be 100,000 rubles.

Now you can calculate the payback of the hall. Let's take the average cost of visiting the gym for a month - 2,000 rubles. If you recruit 100 clients, then your monthly profit will be 200,000 rubles. Minus monthly expenses, the hall will pay off in about six months. But this is a very rough estimate.

What does it take to open a gym?

First of all, you need to register your business. This can be done in two versions - IP and LLC. Each has its pros and cons, but LLCs are usually chosen by entrepreneurs who plan to expand the service sector.

For example, you want to “add” to your gym the sale of sports nutrition, sports accessories, massage services. In this case, each type of activity must be registered separately.

Important! No license is required to open a gym.

But you will need to draw up several contracts and permits. The most important:

certificate from Rospotrebnadzor,
permission from Rospozharnadzor (fire protection equipment is mandatory, after the tragedy in the "Winter Cherry" everyone treats this item with increased attention),
permission from the SES and the territorial property management service,
contract for the maintenance of the housing office,
sports institution passport,
medical books for employees, the procedure for production control,
contracts with companies for the maintenance of air conditioners, waste disposal and other areas of the full-fledged work of the hall.

Business registration

When registering a gym, you must specify the OKVED code (s). Choose what suits your business, for example:

"Physical culture and recreational activities" - 93.04;

"Sports facilities" - 93.11.10;

"Services of entrepreneurial activity of the sports direction" - 93.12.10;

"Fitness Center" - 93.13.10;

"Services for athletes and athletic training" - 93.19.12.

How to properly equip a gym, you will find in SNiP 2.08.02.89, SNiP 2.04.01-85, SNiP 2.04-05-91, SNiP 23-05-95, SNiP 11-12-77.

How and how much you can earn at the gym

The main source of income for the gym is clients, and it is logical that the issue of income directly depends on their number. Therefore, you need to prioritize what attracts customers to your room. This is a convenient location (now no one wants to spend a lot of time on the road), high-quality simulators, an attractive interior, good trainers, friendly staff. As a business owner, you can come up with many ideas for attracting and retaining customers - bonuses and promotions, partner benefits, holiday events and competitions.

Typically, gym owners sell annual or monthly memberships. Be sure to study your competitors: your offer must be better. To attract customers, you can make the first visit free.

If we talk about profit, then it can vary greatly for different halls. But on average, a business pays off in six months to a year, and reaching an annual income of a million rubles is quite realistic.

Taxation

If you decide to issue an IP, then the best option for taxation is “simplified taxation” (STS). It will allow you to minimize taxes if the attendance of your hall is low for some reason. An application for choosing the simplified tax system must be submitted along with the registration documents.

Two ways to open a gym

You do not know how to open a gym? We will help you understand the issue and will step by step analyze the most important aspects of this business, what to pay close attention to and without which the fitness club will not be able to function normally and, moreover, make a profit.

Suppose that you have thought for a long time and finally decided to make a fitness club. What's next, how to open a gym? There are two ways: open yourself or by (consider Gold's Gym). Each method has advantages and disadvantages. We will tell you in detail about them so that you can choose the best option, avoid unnecessary waste of time, effort and money.

Consider the main stages preceding the opening of the gym. Of course, we will not be able to cover everything, but we will pay attention to critical points.

Planning

Before you open a gym, you need to develop a business plan - what distinguishes a successful gym from an unsuccessful one. Many advise to give his training to a third-party organization or specialist. You can do this, but you need to be critical of their results and double-check everything yourself. You can be helped with advice or recommendations, but you must do the work yourself.

Why by ourselves? This will allow you to better understand how the business processes in the company proceed, to increase your level of competence in many areas (marketing, management, sales, etc.). As a result, you will be able to provide better services, get the opportunity to increase your income, and you will know more in advance how to open a decent gym.

Choose a room

The external environment strongly influences the choice of fitness sizes. How to determine which club to open - 1,500 or 5,000 sq m? To find out which gym to open, you need to understand whether the market is ready for this and whether there will be such a number of visitors with the subscription price you expect.

When choosing real estate, it is worth considering the main factor - how much income you will receive per square meter. There are many circumstances that can change the amount of earnings from 1 sq. m, but we will highlight the special ones - the number of customers and their solvency. To determine these values, it is enough to calculate how many people can get to the gym in 20-30 minutes. According to practice in Russia, 2-5% of them can become permanent members of the club. Solvency is determined in different ways. The ideal ratio of the number of fitness guests per 1 square meter is 1 visitor per year (the condition is met with proper planning and depends on the chosen development model. For rough calculations, in Russia in the premium segment it is 1 person per 1 square meter). For example, you want to open a gym with an area of 1,000 square meters, which means that for a comfortable location in the club, you can assume that there will be at least 1,000 club cards per year.

The technical characteristics of the room depend on the configuration of the gym offerings, but the optimal ceiling height starts from 4.5 m. With such a ceiling height in a fitness club, you can achieve a feeling of lightness and spaciousness, which will create a motivating mood for exercise among customers.

Proper zoning of the room

A moment that cannot be overestimated is the competent distribution of the space of the gym. Profitability, the number of staff, the amount of utility bills, and the list of services provided depend on this. Many entrepreneurs overlook this issue, considering it a trifle, although this is not the case. If you correctly zone the room, then each zone works and complements each other. Try to open an open-plan gym. Potentially, it has a higher profitability than the corridor layout. Also, it is perceived by visitors more comfortably.

It is important to know how to open a gym where all the rooms interact with each other. For example, next to the pool it is undesirable to put a sauna, a kids club near the stairs, and the cardio zone should not rest against the wall. From the point of view of psychology, a running person must see free space. You can’t just “cut” a room without a meaningful understanding of the overall picture of the club.

This work can only be entrusted to a professional capable of developing a high-quality product. Thanks to this, you will gain competitive advantages: significant savings in time resources, increased revenue levels and no rework in the future. It is better to spend money at the initial stage in order to lay a good foundation than to incur costs in the future.

List of services for the hall

The most popular are exercise machines, group classes and a swimming pool. The cost of membership in the gym depends on the set of club options, so it is important to know your client, his habits and preferences. Thanks to a pre-made marketing research, you will find out what concept and area of the hall are optimal, who your competitors are, the optimal cost of the services you offer, which will allow you to plan a development strategy. For example, in a city or district there are problems with kindergartens, which means that when opening a gym, the layout should include a corner for children and a program for them. You need to find out the popular sports in this particular place. For example, the opening of a playground will positively affect the outreach of the club's corporate members.

To achieve greater profitability, you need to try to cover the maximum segments of the population. How to open a gym for as many people with different interests as possible: housewives, athletes, students, managers, etc.? Open a multipurpose gym.

With the ideal price of the club card and the competent architecture of the space, the occupancy of the hall is 1 visitor per square meter for 12 months. You need to find the perfect balance between the price of a subscription and the number of people who want to purchase a subscription. You can always regulate the number of club members by the price - the lower the price, the more people who want it and vice versa. Knowing this equilibrium price is the skill and experience of the franchisor.

Personnel and equipment

Types of simulators, the presence of a pool, sauna, playgrounds, etc. depends on the four previous steps. Some of the best equipment sold in the US is not worth saving. At first glance, it may seem that opening a gym with cheaper equipment at the start will save money, but in the long run, the costs of replacement and repairs will outweigh the “benefit”.

In addition, guests of the gym will not appreciate cheap exercise equipment. On high-quality simulators, biomechanics are thought out in detail, which allows avoiding injuries and overloading of the joints, which will make visitors satisfied and they will achieve results.

Some "specialists" argue that the quality of the equipment is not important, however, in our experience, we can say that this affects membership sales and they can have a significant marketing effect, especially for clients who are not exactly new to fitness.

Pre-sale

You can start selling subscriptions when the gym is almost completely ready to receive guests. Tentatively, this happens 2 months before the grand opening. This will require a sales team of 3-5 people. Be sure to accurately calculate the opening date. If you don't open on the scheduled date, your customers will be dissatisfied and you will lose their trust, which can cost you dearly in the long run.

Pre-sales is necessary for two things:

receiving money, which is very necessary for paying off the builders, as a rule, immediately after the commissioning of the premises;
filling the hall with customers.

When the hall opens and a new client comes, he will see that the club is working and people are engaged, thanks to which there will be an excellent working atmosphere in the hall, which will influence a positive decision to purchase a subscription.

Gym opening dates

According to experience, it is possible to open a gym with a size of about 2,000 sq m in 3-4 months, it all depends on the coordination of actions, experience and knowledge. During this time, you will have time to prepare everything you need: project documentation, business plan, service configuration, hire staff, purchase equipment, etc. We do not consider the construction of premises from scratch, but only the rental and preparation of premises.

Advantages and disadvantages

You manage your club and make your own decisions. Any successes and failures will be only yours.

The downside is the presence of a huge number of "pitfalls": the architecture of the hall, laying communications, not knowing what equipment is better and where to buy, low efficiency, lack of support and training, etc. In the case of a franchise, these difficulties will not bother you.

You alone have to open a gym, which means re-inventing the wheel compared to a franchise, where everything is verified, calculated and it is enough to follow the proven algorithm.

The club needs to be planned in such a way that there are minimal operating costs and there is an optimal number of staff so that the hall works for you, and not you for it. For example, by increasing the cost of repairs, you are forced to shift the cost of expensive finishes to the cost of a subscription. What you really can’t save on is things that the client comes into contact with (exercise equipment, sports coverage, ventilation, room temperature, cleanliness in the club, and more). It is necessary that every square decimeter work for the client.

The most important thing for the guests of the hall is to see the result of their efforts. If today I have become better than yesterday, then it makes sense to continue exercising in this gym and only for this. The cost of repair costs that do not affect the operation of the gym should not be overestimated.

First of all, people come here for a measurable result, and only then for everything else. Focus on efficiency. People should understand that it is with you that they can become better. They come to the gym to change their lives! If the client gets the result he wanted, then he will undoubtedly become your regular client.

The second way to open a gym is through a franchise. The procedure is the same, but you have qualified assistance in the person of the representatives of the franchisor. Of course we offer our franchise. What does it give and what is the difference?

Planning

Architectural solutions

Our architects have experience in designing over 700 clubs around the world, ensuring that every square meter is used efficiently. The internal fitness device is brought to an ideal state, the smallest details are taken into account. With our architectural solutions, you can save up to 10% on all operating costs. We know how to open a gym and make it successful.

For example, the location of the reception should be chosen in such a way that it is the point of intersection of all guests wherever they go: the visitor enters the hall, leaves the locker room, goes to the gym or for equipment. Proper planning predetermines the psychology of people's behavior in the club. For example, in the first 30 seconds a person can form an idea of the gym, so it is important to create a point of sale from which he can see most of the entire gym. Thanks to this approach, a positive impression of the club is formed, which has a positive effect on sales.

Suppliers

Thanks to the unique conditions, you have the opportunity to open a gym and significantly save on the purchase of equipment. In addition, you get the best time-tested simulators and you do not have to choose from a large assortment of suppliers. We know what equipment is optimal, so when planning a club, the selection and placement of equipment is part of the club project as a whole.

Note that suppliers try to sell inventory that is beneficial to them, but when working under a franchise, the franchisor controls this process, helping to choose exactly the necessary and sufficient equipment, inventory and materials.

An excellent help would be the opening of a store in the club, which will sell goods with the club's symbols (photo). T-shirts with the Gold's Gym logo are one of the most popular in the fitness world.

Club management system

You will have a clear financial management system and statistics throughout the room. Specialized software, on-line training and testing of employees, the possibility of training staff at Gold’s Gym University, programs for receiving feedback from club clients in automatic mode, etc.

"Personal coach"

When you open a Gold’s Gym franchise gym, you have a kind of “personal trainer” you can always turn to for help. We will prompt absolutely in any situation, answer all questions and go all the way with you.

An expensive franchise is like an expensive personal trainer - it doesn't give up, carefully monitors your actions, shows you how to do better, and this is the only way you achieve an excellent result.

How to open a gym

When opening a hall under our franchise, you will save not only on the services of architects, the purchase of equipment, but also on the launch time. Thanks to our expertise, you will learn how to open a gym in a short time.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are many advantages of opening a gym under the Gold’s Gym franchise, but we will note the main ones:

the possibility of visiting the halls by clients all over the world - 35 countries and 700 clubs;/li>
ready-made solutions, proven over the years, allow you not to experiment, but to get a predictable result;
a strong brand trusted by millions;
ongoing support in all areas of work;
the ability to quickly open a gym at no extra cost.

However, this will only work if there is constant control of the club's work by the franchisor, who will definitely prompt the Franchisee and direct his work in accordance with the successfully operating system worked out over the years.

Determining criteria for choosing a franchise: brand, well-established mechanisms, support:

customer confidence, formed over the years;
a low level of recognition means that a lot of objections will have to be overcome in a new way (an unfamiliar place, are there competent coaches, etc.);
the lack of an approved action plan indicates significant errors in the automation of all processes in the organization;
limited support or its complete absence suggests that the franchise has little fullness. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to pay extra for additional consultations.

We hope we have answered some questions about how to open a gym on your own or through a franchise. Whichever option you choose, we recommend opening a place where people will get professional coaches, tangible results and excellent service.