photo credit: just4youwellness.com
I am as guilty of this as anybody else, but I can’t believe the number of gyms profiting off of clients that don’t show up. It really is amazing.
I remember paying for a monthly membership at the YMCA for 2 years in which time I made less than 30 visits to the facility. This is great for business, but not for the general health of our community.
Tax dollars only go so far
Many countries are burdened with paying for the health care of their fellow countrymen. In Canada we have a comprehensive public health care system in which most major medical treatment is subsidized by public tax dollars. The last 20 years have been a difficult time with the rise of what many would classify as preventable diseases (cardiovascular disease, obesity related disease, etc.).
As such, the push to spend tax dollars on preventative medicine is gaining momentum, and the old model of medicating the sick (band-aid solutions) is becoming way too expensive, not to mention ineffective.
When I was contemplating starting a personal training business, my father suggested a cool idea to increase adherence.
His Idea
Offer rebates for people that complete the program. So if my course cost $400, offer a $200 dollar rebate for those that completed this program. If we could get the government on board with this kind of program it might actually work. While I would probably be happy to provide a rebate to clients that completed a training program, it would be easier if the government could chip in too!
It would be like getting paid to go to the gym……I bet there are places operating using this system already.
Have any other ideas to improve exercise adherence?
What would provide extra motivation for you or clients to complete an exercise training program?
I definitely agree that rebating an individual for completing a program or x number of sessions would go much further than simply sending them a cheque for signing up but doing little else. I also think that if gyms were more social, like a gym class can be in high school for example, then more people would actually make the effort to go. That’s not something you can really implement with public policy, but still I bet there are lots of adults who would go through the motions because their friends were.
Hi Mark!
That’s an interesting idea. We should do it. An adult gym class????hmmm. That might fly. Add in the Co-ed element, and you might have some takers!
Jordan
It’s like the video stores they want people to be late with videos as they like to collect the late fees; so as I believe there are some trainers rather not show their clients how to think about their workouts incase they will leave them to create their own routines.
Gov’t intervention sounds good but programs that reduce smoking, gambling and drinking have had little effect.
Reality is being healthy benefits everyone, the community , medical systems, us the tax payers etc …so I can only suggest for myself a rebate in future medical fees or taxes for completing a program ( as I hate paying taxes).
Raymond
Raymond,
A rebate for future medical cost is a cool idea. I agree, that its not even about the money for some people. They just have a hard time committing.
Jordan
I live in the UK and we have the national health here too, though there has been no talk of preventative measures!!
Interesting idea, though I’m not sure it’s the money; I think for many people what they perceive as the social stigma of “admitting” to being out of shape by working out is the big deal.
I’ve known folks who are dangerously out of shape but if anyone was to suggest they work out, they would take it as an insult/accusation. So to keep the peace we leave the elephant in the room.