Quick’n’cheap at Fit n Fast – is this what Aussie consumers want?

by Oliver Kitchingman | Thursday, June 17, 2010

In the world of chain health clubs there’s a new kid on the block. Claiming to be the home of the ‘quickie’ half-hour workout, Fit n Fast is here and determined to make its mark.

So, what’s different about the latest ‘innovation’ to the Aussie gym scene? Well, in addition to its comparatively cheap membership charge of $6.95 per week, Fit n Fast doesn’t have member contracts. That’s right – NO contracts. Surely this goes against everything that gyms believe in? How can you run a club if you don’t have a locked-in guarantee of how much money is coming in each year?

You may be forgiven for assuming that such an approach is an error of judgement that only a rookie club owner new to the world of fitness would make. But you’d be wrong, because Fit n Fast is the baby of a certain Tony de Leede. Who? The former CEO of a little chain of clubs called Fitness First Australia, that’s who. Along with an experienced team of directors and key stakeholders, de Leede has founded Fit n Fast with the objective of being a ‘cheaper, better, faster’ approach to fitness.

De Leede explains his brainchild thus; ‘The clubs will be designed to accommodate all sorts of 30-minute workouts, from circuits to cycle classes, 30-minute results-focused Personal Training sessions and Express Zones, as well as accommodating those that want to do more if they dare. We live in a world where people have been conditioned to think the only way to exercise and get results is to work out for up to 60 minutes or more and we know this is simply not the case’.

Fit n Fast has also embraced social media as a client engagement strategy, and has just released online membership sign-up to its gyms via Facebook – a world first for a gym? This has been done by incorporating the Ezypay Direct Debit Gateway (DDG) system into the application iFrame so that the Fit n Fast Facebook users can sign up directly from within Facebook.

So far there are just two links in this chain, with a venue open in Penrith in NSW and one cued up for Paddington in QLD, but the group plans for this number to grow to a bone fide chain of over 50 facilities within the next five years. And from there… well, I guess it just depends on how strong the links are.

What do you think about this latest development in the Aussie club market? Is this what the Aussie consumer is looking for? Will members flee higher priced clubs for this new, smaller, cheaper style of club, or will it strengthen the fitness marketplace by appealing to a new market of those who have previously relegated ‘joining a gym’ to the bottom of their ‘to do’ lists? Join the conversation and share your comments below.

 

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Posted by: darren shaw | 17-Jun-2010 09:22 PM |

Great to have Tony shaking up the marketing place. I believe that Fitnfast just adds another option for the 2010 consumer. It's different and that's what the industry needs. Enough of the same old. Kudos for FnF going to the customer on FB and not expecting them to come to us. Now let the public speak by joining FnF.
Darren Shaw | Owner
CrossFit Ignite Sydney | Surry Hills

Posted by: Celeste Kirby-Brown | 20-Jun-2010 04:13 PM |

I agree Darren - with some innovative marketing and a great concept my money is on the Fit n Fast team.

Posted by: Anonymous | 25-Jun-2010 06:03 PM |

Great concept!

People are time poor and are looking for time-saving fitness options.

Would be interesting see what they are offering in temrs of results and whether or not they can deliver on these.

Posted by: Anonymous | 20-Jul-2010 09:59 PM |

How about this for a concept.....................Teach people that they need to be spending more time on the health and fitness and not less. The prob with society in genral is that they want it faster and for less effort. CAN'T HAPPEN IMO. So this guy will prob get really really rich but do you really think you can get fit doing 30 mins workouts (for the general public that is) maybe a highly experienced athelete that is self motivated and pushes themselves very hard can do it. I bet this establishment will sell all the latest nutritional supplements that we all know are useless as well.
Anyways there is always plenty of people trying to become mega wealthy i guess

p.s. i do like the no contracts though, that is the biggest rort on the planet

Posted by: Ariel Gonzalez-Motivate You Fitness & Persoanl Training | 23-Jul-2010 02:20 PM |

How are you going to convince people to spend more time on their fitness? It's not working now is it? Obesity continues to rise.
People have it in their heads that they are time poor, and you asking them to train for longer?

Its not the amount time that someone trains, its more about what intensity they train for!

Posted by: Sue Ramsay | 23-Aug-2010 03:38 PM |

Another one of these 30 minute get fit fad gyms-there is no quick fix it takes alot longer than 30 mins you have to be consistent motivated and make time!! People need to organise themselves better. Education from the right trainer is the answer! This guy will just get rich because of peoples vunerability.

Posted by: Roger P | 23-Aug-2010 03:53 PM |

I disagree Sue - for lots of people an hour of the gym is too daunting and so they won't go at all. A half hour workout is easier to build into their routine and they are more likely to attend. Half an hour gym or PT is not as good as an hour, but it is much better than nothing. And if they do a properly designed 30-minute circuit or class they will probably work harder than a lot of people who go along to their gym and wander about from machine to machine without a plan.

Posted by: Anonymous | 23-Aug-2010 03:57 PM |

Correct, Roger, and there's also heaps of research to support the physiological value of shorter workouts. Less stress hormones build up which means that you're more likely to stay anabolic. The bottom line is that the best exercise for anyone is the exercise that they'll do!

Posted by: Anonymous | 03-Sep-2010 02:13 PM |

The $6.95 a week claim is a little bit sneaky - there's an additional processing fee of 50c, plus a quarterly fee of $9.95. By my calculations, that's about $8.25 a week, still cheap but not as much. Then there's the $2 fee if you want to attend a cycle class...

Posted by: Ariel Gonzalez-Motivate You Fitness & Personal Training. www.motivateyou.com.au | 07-Nov-2010 03:52 PM |

You can get great results with 30 minutes or less, as i said, its about intensity...duration is just one variable.

Posted by: Anonymous | 08-Mar-2011 02:58 PM |

I am a Fit n Fast memeber myself, and i must say that I am loving it, i've been with the gym for about 1 month now and has seen GREAT! results all due to the 30 min work circuits! Ariel is right, its about intensity, its also about benefits of having a short workout routine, that is less stressful, less time onsuming and is heaps better to work around my daily life. The trainers and staff and so well informed and well verse with regards to exercise, you literally ask them anything, i know i have.
There is definitely some amazing technologies in this gym, that makes it EXTREMELY efficient to workout. Personally i love it, the only thing missing are the yoga/zumba/pilates class.

Posted by: J.McLennan | 28-Apr-2011 02:46 PM |

We have seen three 24hr gyms come to our area (Albury Wodonga), plus Fernwood. The market is saturated. The new gyms are empty. The right market research is the difference between big losses and getting by in this region. It is very different to the city.
There are reports of the bodybuilders taking over the 24hr gyms, sitting on equipment and not moving, intimidating other users when asked to move, harrassing the females that come in wanting a workout. Grunting loudly, unhygenic practices of equipment sweat
on and not cleaned. The 24hr concept sounds good initially, but in practice will they go the way of Curves and Contours?

Posted by: DKM | 19-May-2011 01:07 PM |

Anonymous | 03-Sep-2010 02:13 PM | are you kidding me? "that's about $8.25 a week, still cheap but not as much" most gyms charge about $20 per month, not sure what world you live in. and for those commenting on '30min workouts dont work' clearly you have
no idea about fitness.

Posted by: Jason | 11-Jun-2011 06:28 PM |

Where in the world do you live DKM if Gyms are only charging $20 a month :O I have just joined FitnFast thanks to the price as the other gyms in the area charge around $250 a quarter. Unless you meant to say $20 a week?