Gym Rules and Respecting Fellow Members

3/31/23

Hi Members,

There are a few things that set BHC apart from other health clubs. One of those is our higher level of effort and attention to make the Club inviting and enjoyable to our members on a constant basis.

Our typical turnover of members is about 4-5 new members a day with about 4-5 cancellations. The most prevalent reason for membership changes is people moving in and out of the area. This evolution of changing members is much more common with those coming to the Club during the busier times in the evening from 5pm to 6:30pm since this population is typically younger with ever changing jobs and apartments.

With new members coming on board with a variety of past experiences at clubs, we find that we need to help guide them with how things are done at BHC. For example, intentionally and loudly dropping weights that was OK at the last bro gym, having a phone conversation in the middle of the gym floor, playing a fitness video out loud on a phone, not re-racking weights, etc.

With that said, we are working on a sign to post in a few places in the main gym and will have a supporting webpage of “Gym Rules”. The signage will briefly state a rule and the webpage will provide more details and reasons about the rule.

The general theme in all the rules is to help direct common courtesy and respect of fellow members and thus help ensure everyone’s enjoyment of our Club.

One of those rules will state “Do not occupy a weight machine, rack, or bench while looking at a phone”. We have had several complaints about members taking an extended time of viewing and interacting with their phone while others are waiting to use the station they are occupying. This especially occurs during the busier time on weekday evenings but may also happen when there are fewer members in the Club, but someone is waiting to use a specific machine that is occupied by someone using their phone. This rule does not pertain to cardio machines or treadmills.

It's understood that people do rest between sets using a strength machine or bench, but when that time is used interacting with a phone, it seems to extend the time of use of the machine versus getting the exercise done and moving on. At times, people will sit at a machine to use a phone and not be exercising on it at all.

Another thing I want to state is that it’s the job of the management and staff of BHC to protect the enjoyment of each person using the Club. If a member is behaving badly in a way that reduces the enjoyment of others, please let me or someone at the front desk know. We will then take the appropriate action to have that behavior stopped. That action may be as simple as making the member aware they are doing something they did not realize was bothering others; or it might include issuing a warning that the behavior is either stopped or the member has their membership terminated.

We are thankful to you, our members, for choosing BHC as a place for your fitness endeavors and we want to do everything we can to reward you with the best health club experience we may provide.

Thank you for being a member of Ballard Health Club!

Sincerely,

Pat Gilbrough
Owner, General Manager
pat@ballardhealthclub.com

PS. May 1st is the 25th Anniversary of Ballard Health Club. Stay tuned for our plans to celebrate that milestone.