What Do Gym Members Actually Want? The Rise of Ab & Glute Training
If you're a health club operator trying to understand what's driving member demand in 2025, the answer is increasingly clear: abs and glutes.
This isn't a niche trend. It's a fundamental shift in what members prioritize — and facilities that recognize it early are seeing measurable gains in retention, revenue, and floor engagement.
The Demand Signal Is Unmistakable
Ab and glute workouts have accumulated more than 33 billion social searches. That's not a fitness subculture — it's mainstream consumer behavior at a scale that rivals any other fitness category.
82% of gym members report wanting to train both abs and glutes as part of their regular routine. They want a dedicated, systematic way to train both — and most gyms aren't giving it to them.
Why Traditional Gyms Are Missing the Opportunity
Most commercial gyms allocate significant floor space to cardio and general strength machines, but offer little in the way of dedicated ab and glute training. The result is a gap between what members are searching for and what they find on the floor — and that gap is a retention risk.
Bristol YMCA shifted floor space away from a spin program that wasn't generating traction:
"There hasn't been a minute in the day when someone isn't using the Glute and Ab Lab. The evening classes are maxed out. I think we have to add an extra one."
What Members Are Saying in Their Own Words
April Brown, GM, Anytime Fitness Brighton MI:
"Our members love it because they do not want to lay on the floor and do crunches. I use the Ab Coaster as part of the club tour."
Gina Wotruba, Wellness Lead, Twin Rivers YMCA:
"Just a few days with the Glute Lift Pro and we are hearing great reviews. It saves members so much time — no need to set up a bar, plates, pads, and benches."
Bryan Franck, Franck's Enterprises WI:
"I have members telling me they used to hurt their back while using other Glute Lifts but not The Abs Company Glute Lift Pro because the footplate is lower — more glute activation and less spinal flexion."
The Shift Away from Cardio
One of the clearest patterns in health club floor data is the decline of traditional cardio and the rise of resistance-based, results-oriented training. The shift is member-driven, not operator-driven.
TAC ab and glute equipment tracked by Ecofit runs at 56% utilization — in use more than half of every available hour. Typical strength equipment runs at 24–40%. The equipment doesn't just attract members; it holds them on the floor longer, throughout the day.
What This Means for Health Club Operators
The member demand signal is strong, the usage data is clear, and facilities that have responded are reporting real outcomes: less churn, more revenue, stronger PT uptake. A dedicated Ab & Glute Zone requires as little as 150 square feet and can be operational within days of installation.
- 207% increase in personal training revenue
- 50+ PT sign-ups from single events built around the Zone (Crunch Fitness)
- 38% reduction in membership churn
The Abs Company has helped more than 25,000 commercial facilities across 68+ countries build dedicated Ab & Glute Zones. Their patented equipment is the only purpose-built system for this category at commercial scale.
www.TheAbsCompany.com | 1-866-219-5335
See how a dedicated Ab & Glute Zone can work in your facility. The Abs Company offers complimentary planning support. Talk to our team →
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