Gym owner bans new members in January, has reasons for 'unconventional' actions
Made a New Year's resolution to get fit and healthy again?
One gym owner says good luck with that — because there's no place for new joiners in the month of January at his venue.
Gym owner Clayton Leah, 31, has been turning away potential new members at his gym, Ascendancy Fitness, even though this is the busiest time of year, he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview on Saturday, Jan. 4. "We stopped sign-ups on New Year's Eve," he said.
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He has a specific reason for his unusual stance, he said.
The purpose is to protect existing gym members and long-time fitness practitioners from an influx of new joiners, he told Fox News Digital.
Often, he said, the eager January newcomers wind up dropping away as their intentions to maintain a New Year's resolution wear off.
Leah said in part that he did not want "to annoy all of our existing members who have been with us for so long."
He added of his gym's news, "I would hate to focus more on the negative than the positive. The response has been overwhelmingly positive," he told Fox News Digital on Saturday.
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"The majority of people appreciate the fact that we've done this and see why we've done it," he also said. "We've always prioritized our membership experience — it's so important to us."
For those who are criticizing his gym for a "not smart" business move, it's actually "been the opposite," he said.
"The first priority is our members, and they are highly appreciative of what we're doing," he said.
"Naturally, we have some inquiries about joining. And I've said this before, but as soon as you take something away from people, then people want it more. But that's not why we've done this."
"We wanted to try and break the mold," he also told news agency SWNS.
He said he's trying to "take an unconventional approach and protect our existing members – that is the most important thing for us."
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The gym is located in Warrington, Cheshire, in England, roughly halfway between Liverpool and Manchester.
His gym has about 650 current members. It also gives one-time day passes for those who want to work out there.
Leah said he hopes his gym's decision would encourage people to join the gym throughout the year — rather than just in January, when people are drawn to the venue because of ambitious New Year's resolutions.
He said the fitness industry "is an amazing industry" and "we're trying to help people with whatever fitness and health goals they have."
The gym owner said the only negative reaction to the blocked memberships had been from those hoping to join.
He said, "The only negative response people have is a case of ‘I was going to join, but now I can’t.'"
He added, "For those people, I say, ‘Well, you should have joined sooner,'" he told SWNS.
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This is not the first case of gyms or fitness clubs banning new members in January.
Equinox, a luxury fitness club, banned new members on Jan. 1, 2023, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
It was part of a "We Don't Speak January" campaign to discourage short-term New Year's resolutions and encourage long-term commitment.
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Certified personal trainer and strength coach Melissa Kendter of Pennsylvania said every trainer’s "main passion" should be guiding others toward leading a healthier lifestyle and building long-term success with sustainable habits, as Fox News Digital also previously reported.
Leah of Ascendancy Fitness said his gym is likely to reopen to new memberships in February, although the gym doesn't have a specific date confirmed as yet.
"Obviously our plan was to avoid the January influx," he told Fox News Digital.
Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.