8 ways to win & retain Gen Z gym members

Gen Z now make up a growing number of gymgoers in the UK. This generation of gym members represent both an opportunity and a risk for gym and fitness clubs. Learn more and get tips to help you win and retain Gen Z gym members.

Say hi to Gen Z! Born between 1997 and 2012, the youngest generation of gym members are already making a big impact on the fitness industry.

Gen Z are digital natives. They grew up in a world with the Internet – accustomed to being constantly connected. And they’re using social media and emerging tech to shape culture – including ‘gym culture’.

As with every generation, they present an opportunity to fitness businesses looking to succeed in the years to come. And with that comes risks too.

Want to make the most of the growth opportunities Gen Z bring and minimise the risks? No sweat! You’re in the right place.

Featuring exclusive insights and expert tips, this article is packed with strategies to help you succeed in attracting and retaining Gen Z gym members.

Let’s get stuck in!

Gen Z = Big opportunity

As of 2022, there were almost 13 million Gen Zers in the UK. So, that means this generation makes up 19.2% of the UK population. With migration into the UK, this number looks set to increase as time goes on.

Gen Z see the importance of regular exercise

Research shows that both Gen Z and Millennials are avid gymgoers. Les Mills has named these generations ‘Generation Active’. And reports that 80% of all gymgoers globally are Gen Zers or Millennials.

And looking specifically at Gen Z, around the world, 36% are exercising regularly (with 50% wanting to start). Of those already exercising regularly:

A recent Business Insider article even suggested that Gen Z are set to disrupt gyms and fitness clubs around the world by visiting so regularly.

Growing % of brand new members are Gen Z

In the UK, Gen Z now make up a higher percentage of first time members aged 18+ starting agreements in at gyms and fitness clubs. The gym membership sales research* studied a decade of data and clearly shows this.

So, Gen Z offer a sizable opportunity for gym owners and operators looking to win new members. As of Q1 (January to March) 2024, 27% of first time members were Gen Zers:

Every Gen Z gym member will be aged 18+ by 2030. So, as time goes on the percentage of first time members who are in Gen Z looks set to increase.

Millennials reached a peak in 2016 and 2017 – making up 59% of first time members in both years. The youngest Millennials turned 20 and 21 in these years.

In the years since, the percentage has decreased for Millennials each year. So, we may see similar for Gen Z over the next decade.

Big threat(?!)

While Gen Z represent a big growth opportunity for gym owners and operators like you, they’re also a potential threat. Why? They leave faster than any other generation.

Gen Z quit sooner than other generations

Looking at the gym membership sales research cumulatively, 14.8% of Gen Z gym members will have had their first membership agreement terminated within 90 days of starting.

That compares to an average of 9.7% and it’s the highest of any generation:

And looking at the specific intervals of time after a membership starts, a higher percentage of Gen Z gym members starting first agreements with clubs are cancelling compared to other generations.

This is true for all periods, except for same day cancels. Here there’s a small difference in each generation cancelling – 0.17% of Baby Boomers (highest) vs. 0.14% of Gen Zers (lowest).

Gen Z frequently leaves the chat!

Fact

Just as Gen Z cancel sooner than other generations, they’ve also cancelled more memberships in recent months and years too. ukactive’s Consumer Engagement Research found that on average across quarterly polling from Sept 2022 to Apr 2024 – 88% of Gen Z (aged 16-24) who’d ended a membership had done so in the last 3 years (compared to 52% overall).

And Gen Z do it quietly

Looking at the reasons recorded for memberships ending within 90 days of starting, 56% of Gen Z cancel directly and indirectly without telling clubs why:

This compares to an overall average of 51% of early cancellations ending silently and is the highest number of silent cancellations of ANY generation.

These are the reasons why 14.8% of Gen Z gym members starting a first Direct Debit membership with clubs end up with a cancelled membership within 90 days of starting:

8 ways to win & retain Gen Z gym members

So you can see, Gen Z present both an opportunity and a threat when you’re looking to grow by attracting more of this generation.

They make up a growing number of gymgoers. Yet, they’re more likely to cancel early into their journey with clubs and least likely to tell clubs why.

How do you make the most of the opportunity, while minimising risk? The right approach to attracting, winning, and retaining Gen Z members is essential.

Follow these tips to maximise your success:

1. Understand what motivates Gen Z gym members to join

You need to know what motivates different types of gymgoers to take the plunge and invest in a gym membership. So, you can build effective personas and hit the right notes with your messaging.

When it comes to Gen Z, Les Mills research found that the top 5 reasons why Gen Zers work out are:

Focus on these desires to motivate Gen Z to sign up for a membership at your club. And use these motivators to remind existing Gen Z members why they should keep investing in their membership at your gym.

73% of Gen Zers buy and advocate for brands based on their beliefs and values. Appeal to their motivations to work out and build a brand that they feel connected to. So, you’ll be positioned to win and retain more Gen Z members.

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2. Offer the right workout options

As well as appealing to what motivates Gen Z gym members and making sure your brand reflects their beliefs and values, consider the workout options you offer.

One thing is clear. Strength training wins with Gen Z.

In the gym, 82% are using pin-loaded/cable machines, 81% are using free weights, and 71% are doing bodyweight training. Plus, when it comes to group fitness, 50% of Gen Z participants are going to strength training classes.

On that note, group fitness workouts and classes are a popular activity for Gen Z gymgoers with 81% participating. Gen Zers view the gym as a social place – somewhere to go with friends and to meet new ones too. So, the popularity of group workouts is not surprising.

As well as half taking strength training classes, 35% do stretch/mobility workouts and 33% chillout with yoga. Both options that help reduce stress and support mental health overall.

Show Gen Z that you offer workout options they prefer. Help these younger gymgoers find the activities they enjoy and benefit most from. And you’ll be positioned to grow the number of Gen Z members at your gym.

3. Show up where Gen Z gymgoers hang out

Gen Z are true digital natives. So, they don’t know a world without the Internet. And that means they’re very aware of advertising in all its forms.

You need to break the mould to win the attention of these savvy gymgoers. And you need to do it fast – their average attention span is just 8 seconds.

94% of Gen Zers in the UK use social media. To market your gym to Gen Z, an authentic presence on their favoured social media channels is essential.

The most popular social media networks for this group are:

Work out which networks you’re able to use most effectively and fit with your brand. It’s best to do a couple really well than to spread yourself too thin!

Start by creating original content to entertain and educate. Then make sure you show you are a credible source of health & fitness advice. And at that point you’ll have earnt your right to promote your club.

Be natural and interact in the comments section – much like a real human would! Build meaningful partnerships with relevant content creators/influencers – they need to make sense for your brand. Share members feedback and content members have created – you’ll build credibility.

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Think about email marketing too – 81% of Gen Z check their email at least once a day. And most only receive 1 to 5 emails a day. So, there’s less noise to break through!

Plus, 31.8% want to hear from brands a couple of times a week and a further 27.5% say once a week is fine. Little and often is the way to go when engaging Gen Z via email.

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4. Run timely marketing campaigns

Right place. Right time. Right messaging. Nail all three and you’ll appeal to Gen Z.

Like other generations, January and September are peak months for Gen Z gymgoers starting new membership agreements.

Uniquely, for Gen Z, September is the biggest time for new joiners. 12.0% of Gen Z start their first memberships at gyms in September. Plus, 10.6% start in October.

So, the start of the academic year is a time to consider promoting your club to Gen Zers who are settling into new routines and even relocating.

And 11.2% of first time Gen Z members start in January – the second peak for this generation. January is the peak for all other generations. And as Gen Z members become older, this may come to be the peak for them too. So, January promotions are still important.

Tip

Look at the membership sales data in your gym management software. Identify any trends that are specific to your membership base.

5. Let Gen Z members join their way

Once you’ve attracted Gen Z, you need to make sure it’s simple for them to join your gym.

Gen Z are used to being able to do everything online and via apps. So, online and in-app joining is a must. And the joining process should be quick and easy to complete.

Give new members the option to customise their membership with bolt-ons to enhance their member experience. For Gen Z, think personal training bundles or small group training classes.

The full details of what they’re signing up for should be clear during the process. That means they should know:

6. Set them up for success

Once Gen Z members have taken the plunge and signed up for a membership at your club, it’s time to set them up for success.

Gen Z gymgoers enjoy a wide variety of workouts. Your gym member onboarding process should be comprehensive enough to:

Try to give every new member a gym induction or welcome session of some kind.

During that in-person session cover things like why they signed up, what they’re interested in doing, and need-to-knows about your club. Give them access to resources to help them get the most out of their training sessions.

Some Gen Zers won’t want an in-person induction – and that’s fine! Create a digital onboarding journey to guide them through those early days with your club.

Research shows 29% of Gen Z want a subscription service that can truly meet their needs and preferences. Personalisation is important. So, tailor your onboarding approach to meet individual needs and align it to key milestones in their journey.

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7. Put your gym in their pocket

If they’ve joined digitally, they expect to be able to manage their membership digitally too. To retain those Gen Z members you’ve won, you need to make it easy for them to do things digitally using your online member portal and app.

Gen Z have high expectations when it comes to digital tools. They’re used to fast, intuitive websites and apps. And want it to be easy to make the most of their membership investment.

Make sure Gen Z gym members can use your digital self-service tools to:

8. Don’t trap them!

Many Gen Zers are in a transient period of life. They’re going off to uni, travelling, moving to new cities, etc. And almost 15% cancel within 3 months of starting a membership – most simply stop paying and/or fall into debt.

It’s not just gym memberships that Gen Z are quick to cancel. Research has found that only 37% of Gen Z have maintained all their subscriptions in 2022/23. And they’re likely to cancel 1 to 3 subscriptions at the same time.

So, if you’re targeting this generation, you need to make sure you meet their expectations when it comes to cancelling.

And that starts with offering the right membership options. Think:

Gen Zers are used to being able to cancel all sorts of subscriptions online. From streaming services – like Netflix – to recipe boxes – like Hello Fresh – Gen Z expect cancelling to be straightforward.

Make it clear how to cancel a membership. It should be possible to cancel or request a cancellation digitally. So, there’s no need to make a phone call or visit in-person.

And that way, you’ll be more likely to find out why they’re leaving and avoid missed payments too. And that means more data for future win back campaigns and improvements, with less revenue lost.

If Gen Z leave on a positive note, they’ll be more likely to come back to your gym in the future.

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The wrap up…

Gen Z gym members – born between 1997 and 2012 – present a big opportunity for gyms and fitness clubs like yours. Gen Z recognises the importance of regular exercise. And they now make up a higher percentage of first time members – that looks set to grow in the years to come.

That said, Gen Z are also a potential threat. Gen Z members cancel sooner than any other generation. And they’re most likely to do so indirectly – simply failing to make payments – leaving you in the dark as to why they’re leaving.

Want to make the most of the opportunity Gen Z presents, while minimising risk? You need the right approach to attracting and keeping Gen Z members. And that means:

The right gym management software partner will help you win and retain more Gen Z members. A partner like Xplor Gym.

Get in touch to chat with our team and see what we can do for you.

*About the research:

The sales insights in this article are from the Gym Membership Sales Report. The research looked at Xplor data from 929,169 first time Direct Debit membership sales from across the UK & Ireland.

These new members had membership agreements starting between January 2013 and March 2024.

The data was collected in April 2024.

Data from 2020 and 2021 has been excluded when reviewing the month and quarter that membership agreements started in. This minimises the impact of COVID closures.