With the beginning of the new year comes the "new year, new me," mantra as people decide if they will be making changes in their lives. Committing to exercise often is one of the resolutions many people make, which often causes the gyms to become more crowded than usual.
One of the gyms whose staff has already noticed an influx of members is Fitness Together at their new location at 1799 Ogletree Road.
Latrice Lewis, general manager at Fitness Together, said they have been open and operating, but with their relocation they have re-launched their business.
"We changed management and everything," Lewis said. "We're really just kind of starting from the ground up as far as the business goes."
Lewis said that their numbers have increased not only because of the new year, but also because of their new location.
"It's probably the number one booming industry at the beginning of the year, so we've had a major increase already," Lewis said. "We increased in general just with this move because the majority of our clients live in the area and the majority of the people that were drawn to our gym live in the area we're in now."
David Wagner, general manager at Max Fitness, said that they have approximately 300-500 new members after the New Year. Wagner said that part of the influx of members at the Auburn location is because of the students.
"Realistically, down here in Auburn, it's because the kids are coming back to school right around now," Wagner said. "Everyone's really preoccupied with the holidays previously to the new year, so that kind of also aids in the fact that they're trying to get in shape again because they put all that holiday weight on."
Wagner said approximately 50 or 60 percent of the clients at Max Fitness are students.
Lewis said that they also have student clients at Fitness Together, despite Auburn University having an on campus recreational center for students to use.
"We are the only gym in the area that offers private personal training so you can have personal training sessions with a certified trainer in your own private room with your own equipment," Lewis said. "It's a huge difference from anywhere else."
Lewis said they are working with Auburn University to allow students to come to Fitness Together to complete their internship hours, so they have a good working relationship with Auburn.
William Bottcher, freshman in marketing, said he started going to Max Fitness in August 2014. He chose Max Fitness over the Auburn campus recreational center because of the types of weights Max Fitness has.
"I'm more into like body building type working out than I am just weights and cardio," Bottcher said. "They just don't have a lot of what I was really looking for weights-wise."
Wagner said he thinks that students sometimes choose off-campus gyms because when they are on campus for a long period of time it is nice to get away and work out in a different environment. Their location is also open 24 hours for students and community members with difficult schedules.
"If you are serious about weight lifting and stuff then I definitely say go to Max (Fitness), they just have more options and more things to do," Bottcher said. "If you're not as serious and you're more into cardio and playing basketball and stuff I think the rec would be the place to go."
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