{"id":611000,"date":"2026-09-01T08:24:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T08:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/611000\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T08:24:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T08:24:09","slug":"kelly-earley-were-in-the-middle-of-a-luxury-gym-epidemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/611000\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelly Earley: We’re in the middle of a luxury gym epidemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

THOUGH HARD TO believe, there was a time when gyms were the preserve of the well-off. In a 2019 interview, fitness mogul Ben Dunne reflected on this<\/a> era, which set the stage for his chain of reasonably priced gyms around Ireland. He noted that in the 1990s, fitness and leisure clubs \u201cwere highly priced and not at a reach for a lot of the population\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This changed over time.<\/p>\n

By the 2010s, low-cost gyms became commonplace. Chains like Flyefit and Dunne\u2019s own BD Gyms led the charge on this, with the former introducing monthly gym memberships priced at \u20ac29, back in the good old days.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the gym was not just accessible to new demographics, but also pretty good value for many.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fitness mania subsequently gripped the nation, with people qualifying as personal trainers and yoga instructors left, right and centre. This was a boon for community gyms and council-run leisure centres, who upped their game as the expectations of gym-goers evolved beyond treadmills and cross-trainers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aspirational<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t a phenomenon specific to Ireland. Social media helped to make fitness less intimidating across the board, through #gymtok and YouTube videos offering clarity on form and how to use gym equipment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, as participation at the gym became accessible for wider demographics, celebrities, tech bros and the corporate girl bosses of the world sought out something extra special to differentiate themselves from the masses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The real breeding ground for today\u2019s outlandish fitness culture was Los Angeles. It spawned the \u201cgymfluencer\u201d class: attractive, chiselled, put together fitness enthusiasts who never seem to get sweaty or red-faced in the face of exertion like the rest of us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Clad in expensive activewear, these individuals embody the idea that visibility is currency. So it\u2019s crucial that they\u2019re in photogenic luxury gyms, that oscillate between resembling a Scandinavian millionaire\u2019s home or the inside of an alien spaceship.<\/p>\n

The days of fluorescent lighting in warehouse-like, run-of-the-mill gyms with motivational graffiti murals on the wall are over, as far as this lot are concerned.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As these luxury fitness facilities have served as the backdrop of celebrity and influencer Instagram posts, their appeal has trickled down to regular people, who have been convinced that it\u2019s normal to spend \u20ac28 on a single reformer pilates class.<\/p>\n

That hour-long workout costs about as much as many people pay for a month\u2019s gym membership.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To many, the cost is eye watering. But it\u2019s justified by the \u2018experience\u2019, which is the carefully curated combination of decor, vibes, lighting and the workouts, which are spoon-fed to gym-goers by expert trainers. It\u2019s no longer just a physique that is aspirational, but the entire setting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The luxury gym epidemic<\/p>\n

Experiential gyms are popping up all over the capital city, with inventive add-ons that get their customers to spend even more money once they\u2019re inside the building.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

South Dublin\u2019s Perpetua Fitness offers branded merch (which is notably absent from the offering of budget gyms like Flyefit and BD). Perpetua\u2019s Irish founders have solidified their luxury credentials by providing services to 50 Cent<\/a> and even Superman<\/a> (by which, I mean Henry Cavill).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Los Angeles fitness studio Barry\u2019s is a relatively new entrant to the Irish market. Its studios across the US include \u2018Fuel Bars\u2019 which serve low-calorie, high-protein smoothies and shakes.<\/p>\n

Its changing rooms are adorned with Dyson hairdryers and digital lockers that aim to<\/a> seamlessly take its members from \u201ca sweat session to a board meeting\u201d \u2013 underscoring that these gyms aren\u2019t selling exercise, but rather, the idea of the important person that you become when you step inside.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

South William Street\u2019s Saint Studios, which has been used by singer Tate McRae, goes down a similar route.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to offering pricy reformer pilates classes, it offers \u201cpremium amenities\u201d like luxury changing rooms, working space, ceremonial matchas and protein smoothies. Laden with ingredients like creatine, collagen and spirulina, they\u2019re served in branded cups that allow you to advertise your lifestyle to others, long after you\u2019ve left the studio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even deeper down this rabbit hole, you\u2019ll find Eden One, which offers \u201csoir\u00e9es celebrating art, culture and gastronomy\u201d at events designed to \u201cinspire and connect\u201d. The gym also has a cocktail menu and an \u201celegant\u201d dinner menu, as well as events facilitated by brands like Lululemon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shaping the gym experience<\/p>\n

With the increased opportunity to commodify the workout experience, we\u2019re seeing the mid-range gyms take this approach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Everlast, a recently-opened mega-gym in the former site of Henry Street\u2019s Debenhams, sits atop floors and floors of athletics equipment and sports brands in the new flagship Sports Direct.<\/p>\n

Memberships for this gym are steeper than those you\u2019ll find at budget gyms, and while the facility has an impressive list of amenities, many of them (like reformer pilates, saunas and icebaths) are paid add-ons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Point Square\u2019s new UFC gym also features a retail shop, a caf\u00e9 and a premium membership tier, which includes access to fancy red light therapy, infrared saunas and cryo-therapy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Across the entire fitness market right now, the evolution of products and services seems to point to some new pathology among the general public. Perhaps it\u2019s social media and the fact that a workout that\u2019s not posted online, is a workout that\u2019s wasted (see: Strava).<\/p>\n

For some, a \u20ac30 class might be worthwhile if you get a nice selfie at the end. Yet, it feels like an oversimplification to pin this on vanity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t mean to be disparaging towards individuals who buy into all of this, because really, there\u2019s an underlying cultural shift compelling regular people to try and match the lifestyles of movie stars and wealthy influencers, on the average person\u2019s salary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But, don\u2019t forget where you came from. There\u2019s something to be said for a few sets of leg curls in an industrial estate followed by a supermarket\u2019s own-brand protein shake.<\/p>\n

Kelly Earley is a writer and podcaster from Coolock, who has a deep interest in culture, technology, community and social justice. She writes for The Journal every week.\u00a0<\/p>\n