Gym membership cancellations skyrocketed over the past year, and it looks like a good chunk of members don’t plan to return at all.
About a third of gym members have no intention of ever returning to their iron jungles, according to survey done by sports company, RunRepeat.
The survey included more than 11,000 gym members globally and found that 71% of respondents still aren’t exercising at their gyms, whether they still have memberships or not.
A total of 28% of international respondents said they don’t plan on ever returning. The U.S. had the highest number of respondents — 35% — who said they won’t ever return, even after being vaccinated.
Local gym goers who answered the survey shared similar results to the national opinion.
In Maryland, 39% of respondents said they don’t plan on returning to their gyms, while another 39% said they would once they’re friends and family get vaccinated. The number of people who plan on returning unconditionally was around 22%.
A majority of respondents in Virginia — 72% — said they would return after being vaccinated, but the other 28% said they will not go back.
The findings show gyms still have a long way to go before they can expect to see pre-pandemic numbers.
The experts over at RunRepeat said the longer the vaccination process takes, the more gyms will likely close for good and for a new normal to take over in the world of fitness.
