Fitness Buffs Turning To 'Pay As You Go' Workout Plans
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's a new year and plenty of people are ready to get fit.
Instead of big gyms, many fitness fanatics are turning to smaller studios where they get a more personalized workout .It's costing them more, but they say it's worth every penny.
At Steel Revolution in Shadyside, clients pay good money for a good sweat - up to $18 a class, 40 cents per minute.
This spin studio is part of a growing trend in the fitness industry -- a la carte fitness where you can pay as you go -- no membership necessary.
Owner Alison Mears says paying for each class is motivation for clients.
"A, I'm not going to cancel because I don't want to waste my money and B, I paid X amount of money for this class and I'm going to work my butt off from start to finish," says Mears.
Outside the doors of Steel Revolution, you will find four other fitness boutiques within walking distance. They offer your choice of yoga, Barre and pilates.
Mary Jo McCartney admits that she is a serial "a la carter." With no main gym, she bounces around from studio to studio.
"I like being able to change it up. Somedays you just don't feel like doing the same thing or going to a gym where you aren't motivated to get on the treadmill or do the weights by yourself. Going to different places, I feel like I get a better workout that way," says McCartney.
According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, 54 million Americans belong to health clubs-- 42 percent of them go to fitness studios spending on average $80 to $140 a month.
The newest fitness studio to hit the block in Pittsburgh's East End is Orange Theory Fitness. Business is booming. Classes, which offer to burn 500 calories in an hour, are often sold out.
"So, if you let us know that you are working toward a certain challenge, we are going to help you get there by knowing you. That's one of the beauties of being in a small studio like this," says Claire Williamson, the manager at Orange Theory.
And, Shape Training up the street is not your grandpa's gym. It has boxing, weights and trainers who can push you to be the best you can be.
"Our classes are small enough that you get attention and also motivation from the small group atmosphere," Yardon Brantley, who owns Shape Training, says.
Thanks to their personalized fitness routines, these studios now make up a big part of the $24 billion health club industry.
Classes can be pricey, but studios do offer package deals. The more classes you buy at one time, the lower the price per class. And many studios offer your first class for free so you can check it out.
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