According to the Most Recent Global Fitness Industry Research—Here's What Your New Members Really Want (and Are Willing to Pay For)

It’s no secret that the fitness industry is changing fast — but what’s shocking is how many gyms are still missing the mark with new members, especially those who are brand-new to working out.

According to the most recent global research from HFA (formerly IHRSA), Les Mills, ClubIntel, McKinsey, Deloitte, and ACE Fitness, new gym members — especially beginners — are not looking for more treadmills, heavier weights, or fancier apps.

What they really want (and are willing to pay for) is much simpler, much more human — and much easier to screw up if you’re not paying attention.

Let’s break it down.

Before Anything Else: The Critical Role of the First Contact — The Sales Experience

Before a new member ever steps foot in your gym, they experience your people. And in the best health clubs, the sales staff are not just selling value — they are the value. People buy people.

Great salespeople aren’t just pushing memberships. They’re delivering confidence, building excitement, and creating emotional momentum — and yes, they still need to close the sale, because without that first commitment, real fitness journeys never even begin.

In clubs with professional, well-trained sales teams, the first conversation can sometimes be the single best experience a new member will ever have. It sets the tone: “You belong here. We believe in you. You’re going to succeed.”

This isn’t about high-pressure tactics. It’s about connection. The emotional lift a great salesperson gives someone can literally change how they feel about fitness — and about themselves.

👉 Lesson: If your salespeople aren’t trained to create human connection (not just close deals), you're losing members before they even start.

The Five Things New Members Actually Want (Especially First-Time Gym-Goers)

What does the research from so many sources constantly tell us?

If you're serious about keeping new members longer than 90 days, this is your checklist:

1. Clear, Beginner-Friendly Guidance

New members are terrified. They’re not worried about what brand your leg press is. They’re worried about looking stupid or getting hurt.

They crave simple, human instruction:

• Where do I go first?
• What should I do on Day 1?
• What if I don’t know how to use something?

If you leave beginners to “figure it out” alone, you’re already losing them.

👉 Solution: Offer every new member a personal welcome, a starter session, and a simple plan to follow. Or even better, offer a free multi-session high-touch onboarding programme spread out over 90 days. Make it impossible to get lost.

2. A Warm, Friendly, Non-Intimidating Environment

First-time gym users aren’t judging you by your Technogym, Life Fitness, or Matrix gear.

They are judging you by how you make them feel.

If your front desk ignores them... If your weight floor looks like a bodybuilder zoo... If no one says hello after they walk in... They’re mentally checking out.

👉 Solution: Hire for warmth, not just for biceps. Train every staff member to greet, assist, and encourage beginners without being pushy.

3. Fast, Noticeable Progress (Quick Wins)

Here’s the brutal truth: If a beginner doesn’t feel better or see a small win in their first month, they will quit.

Even tiny wins matter:

• Lost 2 pounds?
• Feeling more energetic?
• Climbing stairs easier?

👉 Solution: Set realistic "First 30 Days" goals with every new member. Track and celebrate even tiny improvements.

4. Simple, Easy-to-Use Facilities

Complicated machines, bad signage, confusing layouts — all of this terrifies beginners.

If they have to guess how a machine works, or if finding the locker room feels like navigating an airport, they’ll leave faster than you can say “attrition.”

👉 Solution:

• Use clear, friendly signage (not just corporate logos).
• Create “Beginner Zones” where newcomers feel safe and supported.
• Offer regular gym floor tours — not just during induction.

5. Help Building a Routine

Consistency is the Holy Grail.

Without a routine, even the most motivated beginner will drift away.

👉 Solution:

• Schedule their first three visits during their induction.
• Send friendly reminders.
• Offer day passes so they can bring a friend.

Routine beats motivation every time.

MOST IMPORTANTLY! What Results Are Your New Members Actually Chasing?

New gym members may say they want to be “healthier” or “fitter,” but what they’re actually willing to pay for falls into three big buckets:

1. Fat Loss and Body Shaping

Still the king.

In every major study — from IHRSA to Les Mills — fat loss is the #1 driver for joining a gym.

They want to look better, feel lighter, fit into their clothes, and feel proud of their reflection.

👉 Lesson: If your sales and marketing isn’t speaking to body transformation (in an inclusive, positive way), you’re invisible to most new prospects.

2. Energy and Daily Wellbeing

Feeling tired, stressed, and overwhelmed is the modern pandemic.

New members want to feel energized, mentally clearer, and less stressed.

They want to bounce out of bed, not drag themselves through the day.

👉 Lesson: Sell energy, not just "fitness." People don’t just want six-packs; they want to feel ALIVE.

3. General Fitness for Life

Not everyone dreams of marathons.

Many just want:

• To chase their kids without gasping.
• To carry shopping bags without back pain.
• To move better, age better, live better.

👉 Lesson: Position fitness as essential life insurance, not just aesthetics.

Here's How to Nail the First 30 Days (and Keep Them for Years)

What does the most recent industry research from HFA, Les Mills, ClubIntel, McKinsey, Deloitte, and ACE Fitness tell us?

You can future-proof your gym member retention by designing a new member onboarding experience around these exact needs.

Here’s the ultimate flow:

🥇 Step 1: First Contact

• Welcome Email immediately: warm, clear, reassuring.
• Personalised Call or Text inviting them to a “New Member Welcome Session.”

🥈 Step 2: Epic Welcome Session

• 30-Minute Orientation: not a sales pitch — a personal tour focused on them.
• Introduce One Staff Contact: their "go-to" gym buddy.
• Schedule First Three Visits immediately.

🥉 Step 3: Fast, Early Wins

• Free 6-Day Beginner Plan: cardio, light strength, easy classes.
• Set Mini Goal: e.g., "Feel more energetic in 10 days."

🏃 Step 4: Routine Builders

• Weekly Check-ins (text or email).
• Gamify Visits: reward 5 visits with a small prize.
• Buddy Passes: invite friends = stronger habits.

🏆 Step 5: Celebrate Like Crazy

• First Month Celebration: handwritten card, shoutout at reception, social invite.
• Make beginners feel like winning athletes, not anonymous membership numbers.

Why Most Clubs Get This Wrong (and Keep Bleeding Members)

Because they don’t actually know who they’re selling to — and they’ve never bothered to find out. Because they treat all members the same, instead of segmenting their market and understanding why different people join — and what they really want. Because they still believe "great equipment" is enough to build loyalty. (It isn’t. It never was.) Because they forget fitness is 80% emotional and only 20% physical — especially at the start — and they fail to connect where it matters most.

Final Thought:

If you aren’t obsessing about your beginner experience, your competitor is. And they’re the ones who’ll own the market in 12 months.

New members will pay for transformation, not just access. New members will pay for confidence, not confusion. New members will pay for community, not coldness.

Make it easy for them to win — and they’ll stay, upgrade, and refer like crazy.

📚 Sources:

• IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report (2023)
• Les Mills Global Fitness Consumer Research (2022, 2024 update)
• ClubIntel: What Health Club Members Want (2022)
• McKinsey & Company: The Future of Wellness (2022)
• Deloitte Global Fitness Industry Outlook (2023)
• ACE Fitness Consumer Behaviour Studies (2022)