Irish people spend €30million on the gym every year

its_steve116

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

DontThankMe

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

No problem with spending money on anything that improve people's health since it will result in less people getting sick and ending up in our ****ty public healthcare system that can't handle the current amount of people that it is treating.

alchemist33

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

If it's from 30 people going to the gym, yes - it is an unnecessarily big amount for them to spend.

MaryBrosnan

If they didn’t spend perharps another 30 million on Supermacs or Macdonalds they would have to go to the gym.

dar100

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

Compare it to alcohol

Then compare it to impact and benefits to both

See where this is going....

You can extrapolate cant you?

Boom_Bap

Each?????????

Allinall

I pay €300 a year, and use it at least twice a week.

That’s about €3 or less per visit.

Great value.

Snipp

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

30 million spent by a population of almost 5 million is definitely not an unnecessarily big amount imo. I assumed it would have been a lot higher.

Tell me how

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

That works out at on average, €6 per person per year.

Or, another way to look at it, if the average membership is €600/ year, then only 50,000 or 1% of the population is doing so.

I know there are mitigating factors such as gyms not applying to the entire population but either way, €30M seems small to me.

Grayson

Allinall wrote: »

I pay €300 a year, and use it at least twice a week.

That’s about €3 or less per visit.

Great value.

I know more people who join but never go

HiGlo

Was that what was said?
I thought they said that in One Day people of Ireland spend €30m on health/beauty/fitness. I remember being surprised cause I couldn't work out where they were able to get this figure from?

Maybe I didn't hear correctly tho.

MOH

Irish people spend €186 million on RTE's license fee every year. At that rate the gym sounds far better value.

razorblunt

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

Yes but only if they put pictures on instagram using #fitfam before and after a workout.

facehugger99

I spend €300 a year which works out as only €50 per pack.

Snipp

Snipp wrote: »

30 million spent by a population of almost 5 million is definitely not an unnecessarily big amount imo. I assumed it would have been a lot higher.

seems small indeed.

if the average person going to the gym paid 300 a year, then that's only 100,000 people.

riffmongous

Private business gyms are really a city thing though aren't they, in the countryside you'd be part of a sports club more likely

yourdeadwright

its changed so so quick , 10 years ago when I started going the gym you wore your old clothes, like old t-shirt and a pair of football shorts . now its a fashion show, and every aul one who's never seen the inside of the gym In there life are down the local supermarket decked out in the latest Nike or Under armour gear,

Fiftyfilthy

270e for the year and go 4x a week

Some people piss that up in a single weekend

Cienciano

Fiftyfilthy wrote: »

270e for the year and go 4x a week

Some people piss that up in a single weekend

Sounds like a great weekend

Mitch Connor

350 for the year for me, and I go 5 or 6 times a week. Great value, and I'd be a sphere of fat without it. Its the easiest money I spend all year. This is an inane and insane question.

sk8erboii

its_steve116 wrote: »

Caught an RTÉ docu last night where it said this.
Do you think that is an unnecessarily big amount of money spent, or what's your opinion on it?

No its not.

Quid a day, gets me up early, bit of exercise and a swim, hot tub if it's not busy. **** it.

topper75

yourdeadwright wrote: »

its changed so so quick , 10 years ago when I started going the gym you wore your old clothes, like old t-shirt and a pair of football shorts . now its a fashion show, and every aul one who's never seen the inside of the gym In there life are down the local supermarket decked out in the latest Nike or Under armour gear,

Disregarding brand snobbery I won't begrudge people their polypropylene etc..

Sweating in clinging cotton is annoying. And invites a chill or cold.

orourkeda1977

I'm a fattie.

I'd have to spend that on myself to get my fat arse off.

Jankouskas87

I spend 200 a month on my membership which is a great incentive to go - I tend to go 4 or 5 nights a week.

I will point out I live in Dublin and is a Crossfit gym(box to give its proper title) so it's more expensive than your typical gym.
To answer your question I don't think it's expensive per capita and actually it's a probably a good investment....

On a side note ,I had a conversation a number of years ago before I joined in relation to Crossfit which went as follows:

Me : How much do you spend on Crossfit a month ?
Him : Membership is 150 per month.
Me: That's fairly expensive.
Him : How much would you spend on a night out on the beer in Dublin?
Me : 100-120 on a long night I guess.
Him: And how often would you go out in a month?
Me: Maybe 3 nights I guess ..... ok point proven !!!!!

The point being if you can afford it and that's what you want you spend your money on - work away and enjoy yourself.

I might try and catch the documentary now - was it a Prime Time special?

DEFTLEFTHAND

I always found that you can do a lot without the gym also. Just invest in a yoga mat for floor exercises and a good pair of runners for road running.

DEFTLEFTHAND

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I always found that you can do a lot without the gym also. Just invest in a yoga mat for floor exercises and a good pair of runners for road running.

you can but gym classes are good when the motivation levels are not so high -> when it's pitch dark and cold in the middle of winter a run is not as appealing.

LuckyLloyd

This topic often precipitates a race to the bottom conversation, where it becomes almost a contest to see who is spending the least per month; and negative discussions around 'I can't believe you spend that much', 'all you need is fresh air and a strong mind', etc.

If people could afford a personal trainer 3 times a week and they stuck to it and it improved their health and well being is seems like a good investment to me. Some people need more help than others when it comes to staying fit. I also kind of think that it doesn't matter what you do (running / strength training / a sport / yoga / crossfit) if you do it regularly and it works for you.

meeeeh

It depends, if you buy annual membership and then use it only for a month (me) then it's too much. If you use it weekly it's good investment.

Personally I prefer to go for a run and I use indoor cycling and rowing machine at home in winter when it's too dark outside. Going for a walk with dog is less intensive but I think it's also hugely beneficial.

Fresh air is great but indoor gyms are still much better than nothing as long as you actually use them.

JohnCleary

My gym (pool / decent gym / classes) costs me €250 per year (I still blag a student rate)

I go 4-5 times a week, let's say on average 45 weeks a year. Each visit it approx 90 mins. So, let's just say 4 times a week, 45 weeks a year. That's 180 visits.

Cost per visit = €1.38 / 1.5 = 92c per hour to be in the gym.


Fackkkk, I'm spending WAY too much on the gym!

seamus

The question really is how much of that €30m is not being used (people with memberships they don't use), or is being spent unnecessarily, i.e. people who join a gym just to use the treadmill or bikes.

IK09

A (typical) gym works off a business model that approx. 67% of their members will not use the facilities.

From my knowledge the average gym membership appears to be approx. €400 p/a

€30,000,000 / €400 = 75,000 gym users

67% of 75,000 = 50,250 Non active memberships

Leaving 24,750 active gym users.

At a cost of €30,000,000 per annum for 24,750 (assumed to be healthy) active gym users, yes i think the cost could be considered high.

BUT, if the non active gym members would use the facilities and become more healthy, I would see it as a solid investment over time and as a result, the sector is one which should probably be supported more by government agencies through grants or training. The cost to exchequer through funding the HSE could well be reduced by such an innovative

seamus

IK09 wrote: »

BUT, if the non active gym members would use the facilities and become more healthy, I would see it as a solid investment over time and as a result, the sector is one which should probably be supported more by government agencies through grants or training. The cost to exchequer through funding the HSE could well be reduced by such an innovative

You know, I do see the logic and the figures in this, but I'm skeptical as to what level of funding or support the state could provide to get more people using gyms.

You can take a horse to water, etc. If 67% of people who actually pay for their own gym membership don't use it, then you can be sure that a much higher percentage of people who got it free or subsidised, wouldn't use it.

I'd love that if someone couldn't afford a gym and really wanted it, they could be helped in getting access to one. But I think realistically that number will be small. The idea of the gym is far more appealing to most people than actually going there.

troyzer

€30 million is really low.

I would have thought if the government decided to spend €30m to make the gym free they'd save multiples of that in healthcare costs alone.

Does seem very low though.

F34

I pay 70 a month for a cross fit gym. Thought it was very expensive when I first heard the rate but I go 5 times a week so works out at €3.50 a class.

I was running 7 days a week prior to joining but actually enjoy the gym more at this stage. I still run twice a week though.

IK09

seamus wrote: »

You know, I do see the logic and the figures in this, but I'm skeptical as to what level of funding or support the state could provide to get more people using gyms.

You can take a horse to water, etc. If 67% of people who actually pay for their own gym membership don't use it, then you can be sure that a much higher percentage of people who got it free or subsidised, wouldn't use it.

I'd love that if someone couldn't afford a gym and really wanted it, they could be helped in getting access to one. But I think realistically that number will be small. The idea of the gym is far more appealing to most people than actually going there.

Ya i hear you. My initial thoughts were in the vein of providing gym owners/operators with access to further training/courses which may help them to keep their existing business model while at the same time, increasing non active user attendance. Just some thoughts, not fully fleshed out.

troyzer

IK09 wrote: »

Ya i hear you. My initial thoughts were in the vein of providing gym owners/operators with access to further training/courses which may help them to keep their existing business model while at the same time, increasing non active user attendance. Just some thoughts, not fully fleshed out.

Make gym memberships fully tax deductible.

That could work.

murpho999

Not excessive. I would say the industry is worth a lot more than that.
It also creates a lot of employment.

Also I don't get why somebody would care what other people spend their own money on.

Baron Kurtz

dar100 wrote: »

Compare it to alcohol

Then compare it to impact and benefits to both

See where this is going....

You can extrapolate cant you?

Proper snarly b*tch comment.

razorblunt

F34 wrote: »

I pay 70 a month for a cross fit gym. Thought it was very expensive when I first heard the rate but I go 5 times a week so works out at €3.50 a class.

I was running 7 days a week prior to joining but actually enjoy the gym more at this stage. I still run twice a week though.

I pay similar.
Not "cross fit" but circuit based, alternative workout classes and use of the gym anytime. I go to at least 5 classes a week. Cheap as chips really.

Tell me how

I wonder just how many people no longer pay gym fees because they attend a gym in their place of work?

I know of a number of companies where this is the case but I wonder just how prevalent it actually is?