New year resolutions or renewal of long forgotten memberships are the two main reasons local gyms have seen a surge in numbers during early 2026.
For the Bunbury branch of Zap Fitness, the usual trend of increase in membership remains consistent but compared to early months of previous years, it might not be as consistent.
Gym manager Toby Myles said this was due to an increase in the number of gyms in Bunbury in the past year.
“For this gym in particular, the traffic has been slightly less but that was because of the increase in gyms in the area — there are more here than ever before,’ he said.
Mr Myles said January and February were the busiest times of the year for the fitness industry.
“People wake up after Christmas and New Year and restart their fitness journey — it is really important for us to get the year off on the right track,” he said.
“We get a lot of new year resolutions coming through as well and previous members that faded off towards the end of last year who are starting to come back again.
“A lot of people are really starting to look into the fitness industry and realising there is a high demand for their health and intend to get back to a healthy lifestyle.”
While the gyms are busier earlier in the year, Mr Myles said they try to ensure members maintain their motivation throughout the year.
“It is a tough role, because you can’t make people come out and do a workout — but we are getting more personal trainers and newer equipment,” he said.
“There is a higher personal trainer ratio in the gyms now.
“We do what we can to help out make it the most friendly of environments suitable for them.”
This involved encouraging members to sign up for running clubs, monthly competitions with prizes and other community events.
https://thewest.com.au/news/bunbury-herald/resolutions-and-renewals-lead-to-higher-foot-traffic-in-local-gyms-as-members-return-after-holidays-c-21254278
