Do you performance appraise your gym music?

I train at the gym every morning. I’m not an i-pod type guy, I love the social side of working out in a gym, bit of banter with other members, idle chit chat between sets etc…

What this leaves me open to however is the music that is played on the gyms music system. You see I, like many of your members walk away after a training session with a feeling of the overall ‘experience’.  How did I feel during that workout? Did I have fun? Was I motivated? These factors (along with others) help me decide if I am enjoying the gym or not. Facts: Music helps create the experience in a gym. Good upbeat music motivates your members when they workout.

Nothing demotivates me more than getting ready to bench press a weight I want to push myself on, or set myself up for some nasty treadmill sprints and James Blunt comes over the music system……”your beautiful, beeeeautiful”……FLAT!

Try this stat from a recent Fitness Industry study on for size…..36% of gym members stated a reason for leaving their gym was because they don’t enjoy the atmosphere. Do you think the music you play in your gym plays a big part in your atmosphere? YES is the answer!

Ever been to a gym with no music? FLAT! Ever had a workout in a gym with a slow power ballad in the background? DEMOTIVATING! Yet many gyms I’ve been into still play slow, demotivating music……a lot! These are gyms people! Your members come to get motivated and workout, not to meditate on the cycle.

I’m not telling you to blast the base 100% of the time, but just be aware of the music playing on your system at all times. Pre load the good motivating stuff, mix it up so most members are catered for, run a paper survey on the reception desk asking your members what music they want to work-out to, (or make that your next facebook post) keep it up beat and motivating. If you’re walking through your gym and you start bobbing your head and wanting to bust out a few moves then you’ll know it’s the right stuff…and your members will love you for it!

Small things count in running a gym, sometimes it’s the 1 percenters like your gyms music that can make a big difference.