Article Link Why Fitness Classes Are Making You Go Broke

[carly]

http://www.racked.com/2015/6/10/8748...ss-class-costs

[Laura S.]

There are many reasons why people go this route. But, since I'm currently reading Quiet - the recent-ish book about being introverted (which I am) - at least the social aspect of the whole boutique fitness industry doesn't appeal to me. (And it's why I'm a vidiot at home.

It was an interesting read. Thanks!

[Usia]

After reading this, I don't feel so bad about spending $20 on dvds or streaming once or twice a year.

[Laura S.]

Or, a set from Beachbody on their big sale...

[NorthernStar]

Wow, I really don't feel bad about spending $100 here and there on new workout DVDs now. I used to belong to a gym and went to group ex classes at $50/month, but earlier this year I quit and sprung for a bit more equipment at home (a step, good foam roller and heavier dumbbells). I love to walk/run outside as well.

Fitness isn't completely free, I do buy good shoes that are around $120 a pop even on sale but I don't have a ton of fitness wear and I buy the cheap stuff (only a single pair of Lulus). I love free YouTube workouts and I get good wear out of my DVDs that I have spent money on. After reading this article, I think I can justify buying Cathe's ICE and X-Train, 2 systems that I really want! (but even that is after I got Cathe's LIS used for $40). There's tons of way to save money. Even the best yoga studio in my city has $5 classes once in a while.

Spending money like that has nothing to do with fitness and everything to do with status. The comment at the end of the article about the high price being alluring was really interesting. Reminds me of an early episode of Mad Men where a department store wants to raise prices to drive sales - because it will seem more exclusive and luxurious.

[Juliepie]

I would love to take a kettlebell class, but that would be it. Never got into fitness clubs.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

It's amazing what some people will pay for certain things. I was reading Marie Claire magazine at the dr's office this morning and there was an article about what (young) women from around the world will pay for skin care. Astounding! These girls were making hardly any money and devoting astronomical sums to facials and creams, serums, etc. A 27 year old South Korean woman spends 20% of her meager income on her face. Hey, if you've got it and that's important to you, fine, but I was left wondering how on earth she was paying rent, food, utilities, etc??

[Usia]

I don't even spend money on fitness wear or workout shoes that much. With shoes, I just replace inserts and that provides me enough cushion since I don't do much high impact anymore. As far as workout clothes go, I wear same old 2-3 shorts and sports bras I've had for years. No one sees me work out other than my cats, and they don't care how I look!

[beyond.omega]

Michael Fishman, who has advised consumer health businesses for the past 25 years, echoes: "Fitness can be had by anybody for free. The money really is about experience."

I think this explains it. I know when I took classes in DC, that was what it was for. It was belly dance classes, but still I was going for an experience more than the training. (I was never planning on becoming a belly dancer or anything.) I also took Pilates class but for health - it was the first step forward when my back injury was acute. I paid $15/class for Pilates ($60/month) and my friends...who watched me suffer, and then improve, thought it was excessive. Years later, I paid $12/class with a punch card for Callanetics, but I paid another $12/class in round-trip gas into Portland, but it was worth all the time and money, as I had moved to a really stressful job, so I got so much more than just fitness getting out to that class. People I know thought it was crazy, but I would have gone crazy not doing it.

So, I do think while I'm not going to pay thousands of dollars/month for fitness classes, we all decide what is worth it to us.


He goes on to say:

Gyms have "a lot of lone rangers and people who want to be left alone." But the new boutique boom is the exact opposite. Fishman says it draws upon the appeal that practices like yoga have banked on for years, "a spiritual and tribal aspect, people gathering around a methodology."

I think this is true. It also explains why we can't comprehend it. Here at VF we are a tribe that workouts out at home.

[Lucky Star]

I think it's an article glorifying elitists who are "deeply suspicious of anything that’s discounted, and by the same token, always drawn in by anything with a fixed high price". What silly nonsense!