Pressure on consumers' disposable income globally has paved the way for budget gym chains that offer great pricing and excellent value, top-of-the-range equipment and a funky fun vibe, offering affordable training so that members can get fit, stay healthy and look after their budget all at the same time.
Managing Director, Dustin Leeb, a veteran in the health and fitness industry, draws from years of experience both in SA and the UK, heads Just Gym, which aims to offer access to an improved and healthier lifestyle for a market who previously did not have the opportunity to join a gym because of the cost of membership fees, as well as for those who do not have medical aid subsidised fees.
With statistics indicating that nearly 50% of adults in the developed world suffer from overweight or outright obesity and South Africa being on par with countries such as the USA and the UK, with up to 40% of women suffering from obesity, it is increasingly important for South African's to engage in physical activity. Now the gym will offer gym access to those who previously couldn't afford it, as part of a move towards a healthier lifestyle for all South Africans.
Leeb is a great advocate of the budget gym concept, the fastest growing sector of the gym market internationally, (see international brands such as Easygym; Klick; The Gym Group, Pure Gym) and has plans for an aggressive strategy to open Just Gym clubs across SA. The brand's first club will open in Sunnyside Pretoria, well situated to service the student market, and five more sites have been secured for launch over the next few months with the plan being to open a new club every couple of months. Leeb has set the target of 50 Just Gym clubs in SA over the next five years.
The clubs will offer a quality gym solution at the lowest price in the market, by keeping the essential equipment that people want and by eliminating some of the costly, unnecessary features and services, like swimming pools and saunas.
Subscription fees start at R149 per month.
Just Gym is a subsidiary of Planet Fitness, an established player in the health and fitness market in South Africa with an 18-year track record.
