Jim Zupancic, president of the Oregon Health and Fitness Alliance, says membership numbers do not tell the entire story of fitness center’s struggles. Lehner also cited increased sales of home fitness equipment and the pandemic’s long-term impact on commercial real estate prices as suggestions that the industry is still adapting. Even if gyms lose members permanently, there are new ones waiting in the wings to some degree,” says Lehner. “Oregon’s population is growing, demand for fitness activities will continue to increase. While consumer spending on gym and sports club memberships has returned to pre-pandemic levels, employment in the industry is still 27% lower than it was at the start of 2020.Ī hybrid in-person/online yoga class at Hard Core Yoga. By contrast, gym revenue was down 58% in 2020, according to a report by the Global Health and Fitness Association.Īccording to Oregon state economist Josh Lehner, the pandemic’s impact on the fitness industry has not fully played out. In May, employment within the industry had recovered 60% of its initial job losses, but remained 27% below pre-pandemic levels.Īccording to a report from online athletic equipment reviewing website RunRepeat, the number of people who said at-home fitness was their preferred method of exercise increased 218.3% in the United States in 2021. “When I started I was doing everything myself, recording videos on my cell phone and at the gym, but as we grew little by little I was able to hire a web designer and make it look professional,” she says.Īccording to a report by Axios Media, gym cancellation rates are higher now than at the start of the pandemic, likely due to Americans’ changing workout habits, which includes a lot more online engagement. It also meant maintaining a stronger social media presence, familiarizing herself with graphic marketing and videography. The experience made transitioning her business to fully online a smoother process. ![]() In addition to her fitness business, de Werd conducted online fitness instructor certification tests as a side job. This means fostering a sense of community - and giving customers a reason to stay - has never been more critical. Online classes and more personalized fitness instruction have helped small studios compete more effectively for a bigger pool of customers. But like other businesses with an online component, customers’ newfound desire to fill their needs on the web meant Warrior Gym’s revenue did not take as big of a hit as many of the larger fitness centers. Like most fitness professionals, de Werd’s business suffered as a result of COVID-19. With three children, two still at home, being a fitness instructor with classes online was - and still is - the best fit for her schedule. The experience set her on a path that would eventually lead her to found her own fitness studio. I’m pretty sure I was going through some postpartum depression and her classes were the only time I found myself smiling,” de Werd says.Įllen de Werd prepares for Warrior Rythm fitness class. “The instructor made me feel like I could fit in and belong, even though I was bad. She found a different instructor and fitness community that made her feel welcome. I left saying, ‘I will never, ever do that again.’”īut she loved to exercise, and after having a baby, she wanted a way to make sure she had a way to do what she loved on a regular basis. “The instructor actually got on the microphone and embarrassed me in front of the whole class. “I couldn’t keep up and I felt really self-conscious,” says de Werd, the founder of Warrior Gym in Eugene. ![]() The first time Ellen de Werd went to an exercise class, she never wanted to attend another one.
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