Use of Fitness Facilities, Equipment, and Programs: A Case Study of a Japanese Fitness Club
This study examined the rates and patterns of use of the various facilities, equipment, and programs in a Yokohama fitness club. Analyses of the responses of 208 members (males = 98, females = 110) to a specially constructed questionnaire showed that the showers, sauna, bath, and Jacuzzi were the most often used facilities followed by aerobic exercise machines (e.g., exercise bikes and treadmills), the swimming pool, and machines for training the lower and upper body. In addition, four distinct and representative patterns of use of the facilities and equipment were identified. Swimming activities dominated Pattern A, and accordingly it was named the Swimming Pattern (n=59). Pattern B, the Dance and Communication Pattern (n = 15), was characterized by the use of the communication hall and coffee lounge and participation in aerobic dance. Pattern C, the Fashionable Pattern (n = 4), consisted of participation in aerobic dance for men, 1-km swimming, and the use of the tanning corner and restaurant. Finally, Pattern D, the Machine Training Pattern (n = 130), included the use of weights to train the upper and lower body. These results revealed an inefficient use of some of the facilities and equipment of the club. In addition to these findings, respondents preferred their supervisors to be friendly and expressed a desire for a larger swimming pool.