Ask Congress to Pass the GYMS Act to Save Local Gyms and Fitness Studios
Tell your member of Congress to support the GYMS Act to save community gyms and fitness studios — they are essential, have been hit hard, and need relief now.
Community Gyms and Fitness Studios Need Help To Survive
Government-mandated shutdowns and operating restrictions have devastated local gyms and fitness studios, with tens of thousands of fitness facilities at risk of closing its doors forever.
Gyms and fitness studios were among the first businesses forced to close and the last allowed to open by local health authorities in most states, with higher closure rates than either restaurants or bars.
Gyms and fitness studios have been unable to fully participate in other federal relief programs because of limitations on the use of funds for gyms’ and fitness studios’ standard expenses.
Direct aid for gyms and fitness studios is essential to helping small and mid-sized fitness facilities recover the revenue lost to mandatory closures, class size limits, and other restrictions.
With swift and targeted government action, we can save tens of thousands of our nation’s community gyms and fitness studios from bankruptcy, so they can pay trainers, support their local economies, and keep their communities healthy.
Why do community gyms and fitness studios need support?
More than 6,000 local gyms and fitness studios are closed already
According to Yelp, more than 6,000 fitness facilities are closed already, and gym owners say they have more than a one in three chance of bankruptcy before 2021 without direct aid.
Gym and fitness studio closure rate is 5x restaurants
The nation’s gyms and fitness facilities face higher closure rates than other hard-hit industries, like restaurants and bars, according to Yelp. Based on its respective size, the gym industry has a closure rate nearly five times the restaurant industry and one-third higher than the bar/nightclub industry.
Two-thirds of gyms owners say current federal programs won’t save them
Federal aid like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has failed to help most local gyms and fitness studios because they do not meet their cost structures, which have high fixed costs other than payroll.
The gyms that have survived so far are at high risk of closing in coming months
The average gym owner says they have more than a one in three chance (36%) of going out of business before the end of 2021 if Congress does not provide meaningful relief.
Healthy gyms and fitness studios = Healthy communities
Community gyms and fitness studios help tens of millions of Americans stay healthy, improving their immune systems and reducing rates of chronic and infectious disease.
- Research has shown that exercise reduces the risk of infectious diseases like influenza and pneumonia and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently warned that even being overweight may put individuals at increased risk of severe COVID-19.
- Stay-at-home orders, remote work/school, and other COVID-related measures have led to surges in rates of depression, obesity, and other health issues.
America’s community gyms and fitness studios will help our nation return to health and address the growing crises of obesity, chronic disease, and depression.
Let’s keep America’s community gyms and fitness studios healthy through this crisis, so they can keep America healthy after it.
Fitness Leaders Supporting Relief
