{"id":215333,"date":"2026-01-01T19:10:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T19:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/215333\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T19:10:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T19:10:08","slug":"fitness-classes-are-more-expensive-than-ever-are-they-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/215333\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitness classes are more expensive than ever. Are they worth it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a wide variety of fitness classes on offer, from barre to spin to reformer Pilates.PeopleImages\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

When I started going to strongman classes at Toronto\u2019s Bang Fitness a decade ago, a drop-in class cost $20. Today that\u2019s doubled to $40 a session. A grandfathered gym membership price means I can still afford to attend, but a 100-per-cent markup for the workout is staggering. <\/p>\n

Geoff Girvitz, owner of Bang Fitness, said the choice to raise prices wasn\u2019t an attempt to gouge members or line his pockets. It was a necessity to keep the business open. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs a small-business owner, I\u2019ll always have anxiety about a price raise,\u201d said Girvitz. But with a niche class such as strongman, which entails lifting and moving heavy weights, upping the cost was the only way to cover the specialized equipment, knowledge and overhead. <\/p>\n

How these Canadians found motivation and restored their love of exercise<\/a><\/p>\n

The need to raise prices is consistent with trends across the fitness industry. The Consumer Price Index<\/a> from Statistics Canada reported an increase of 14.7 per cent in prices for recreational facilities and services from 2019 to 2023. Operating expenses for these businesses in 2023 were up 16.0 per cent compared with 2019. <\/p>\n

For gym owners, it\u2019s a delicate balance to find a price point that turns a profit without turning away customers. As Canadians feel the pinch of inflation, the fitness industry has seen a shift in both what gyms offer for classes and the expectations that come when those classes cost more. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just a workout, it\u2019s an experience <\/p>\n

While my preferred workout involves heavy sandbags and overhead log presses, there are fitness classes offering countless different options across Canada depending on your preferences. Want a ballet-inspired barre session or pole dancing for cardio<\/a>? What about a Sabrina Carpenter-themed spin class<\/a>? <\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a running\/weightlifting hybrid such as HYROX training<\/a> or reformer Pilates in a nightclub setting, specialty classes feel decidedly different from a solo trip to a regular gym because they offer novelty and instruction.<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

An Orangetheory class in Edmonton in March, 2022. Orangetheory\u2019s classes blend strength training, rowing and treadmills.Amber Bracken\/Amber Bracken<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re getting guidance and attention from an instructor that you wouldn\u2019t get working out on your own,\u201d said Blake MacDonald, an Alberta-based fitness enthusiast who owns a number of Orangetheory fitness branches across Canada.<\/p>\n

Orangetheory\u2019s signature class blends strength training, rowing and treadmill use. During the workout, participants can rent or buy heart-rate monitors to wear, with biometrics appearing on TV screens throughout the fitness studio. Renting a monitor is about $10 depending on the branch, while buying the branded device can cost more than $100. It\u2019s a gimmick that helps members feel like they\u2019ve made the most of their workout. With drop-in prices at around $30 a class, that\u2019s a feeling many are willing to pay good money for. <\/p>\n

Luxury gyms sell lifestyle and community with high-end amenities <\/p>\n

Across Canada, a number of luxury gyms offer fitness classes, from Equinox in Toronto and Vancouver, to Midtown Sanctuaire in Montreal, or Edmonton\u2019s Archetype. Walking into one of these gyms can feel more like a spa or hotel than a workout space (think steam rooms, saunas and smoothie bars). While the price point comes at a premium \u2013 $160 to $300 or more for monthly memberships \u2013 they offer a wide range of classes and a social setting people gravitate toward. <\/p>\n

These kinds of perks are meant to facilitate a sense of community, offering gym-goers spaces to convene and hang out beyond their workout, says David Ingram, founder of luxury fitness studio Sweat and Tonic in Toronto. <\/p>\n

Over-the-top perks can help create the sense that these gyms are appealing third places to spend your time. Sweat and Tonic offers most major types of fitness classes, from yoga, to HIIT (high intensity interval training), to spin. The drop-in fee is $34.<\/p>\n

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Sweat and Tonic offers yoga, HIIT, spin and other group fitness classes.Supplied<\/p>\n

At its location at the Well, a Toronto mall, the gym also features a number of fancy amenities available with certain memberships including longevity spa treatments, a pool and even a co-working space. \u201cIt brings a cohort of people together that have like-minded interests,\u201d said Ingram. <\/p>\n

With prices going up across the board, more classes are falling into the $30 range. The extra amenities at luxury gyms can be a differentiating factor to get people through the doors. <\/p>\n

How to find cheaper options<\/p>\n

Gym memberships can significantly decrease the cost per class if you go often, and can be a nice motivator to attend consistently. Most gyms also have the option to buy classes in bulk for cheaper prices. <\/p>\n

ClassPass<\/a> offers access to many expensive gyms for significantly lower prices. Community centres and local gyms can also be cheaper alternatives. Just because a class costs a lot of money doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s going to be a better workout. Before dropping some cash, be sure to do your research. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: There\u2019s a wide variety of fitness classes on offer, from barre to spin…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":215334,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[589,163,85,46,14093],"class_list":{"0":"post-215333","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-israel","12":"tag-noastack"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215333\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/215334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}