Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chotaerang]

I'm batting around the idea of opening up a gym in Itaewon aimed pretty much at hardcore lifters, but with enough crossover appeal to catch some of the mainstream market. I'm thinking 600sq feet, bumper plates, a couple of rowing ergs, and designating the whole area a rap-ballad free zone.

Is the market too narrow? What else would you put in there to make it better? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[bogey666]

[PigeonFart]

Hey! I use those "pansy" machines...i don't take too kindly to the "pansy" reference.

[bogey666]

[chotaerang]

Thanks for the reply/ideas. My broad definition of hardcore would be anybody who consistently busts their balls at the gym in pursuit of a goal that is generally recognized as being tough; say a double bodyweight bench, triple deadlift, single digit bodyfat, more than 10 pull-ups (for a girl).

I won't have the space or the bucks to have a lot of machines, so I would have to compete by creating a niche (ergs, a reverse hyper, quality whey powder ...) that other, more fully equipped gyms don't have.

[bogey666]

[Robot_Teacher]

Elliptical machines and Nautilus machines, particularly the crunchee machine. These are what I miss in the gym I go to. The Lexco in the gym I go to is good equipment. And of course, you want treadmills, stair steppers, and free weights with plenty of physical space to use them. I forgot to mention that stair stepping is free in Seoul as the subway system offers plenty so maybe not go with stair steppers, but ellipticals are great machines.

Can I use your new gym on my weekend Seoul visits?

Can another one of you entreprenuers open up some more accommodation options in Itaewon so I can conveniently go to bed after a long day in Seoul ending in a beer session in 'won?

[Mr. Pink]

Just a few things to point out:

In Itaewon you are near the base. The soldiers who want to work out, do it on base, so don't expect they would come to your gym.

In most neighbourhoods there are small sized Korean gyms for serious lifters. I used to go to one for about a year. They were low on machines, heavy on weights. You might want to think about this. Does your neighbourhood have one? There might be a bigger gym that caters to both types of people too. I've been to one of those.

As another poster pointed out though, how many really buff Korean guys do you see out there?

Good luck, I just hope you don't end up wasting your cash.

[coralreefer_1]

I would suggest that if you want to make money on your investment, you appeal to the majority of the market. Since the majority of gym visitors are not "hard core" people, designing your gym and selection of equipment based on the small majority of people may not be a wise choice.

Having equipment for hard-core people is all good, but you should also have equipment for the casual person as well. Lets face it, regardless of what you think of treadmills/stairmasters, and other aerobic equipment and mics. machines, they will most likely be the areas that get the most use, as Korea is not exactly a weightlifters heaven.

However by creating a truly "hardcore" place, you pretty much cut out the entire female population. Of the males that are left, ask yourself how many of those are "hard core" people.

Most of the guys at my gym mainly do a light set then watch tv for 10 minutes, or are older men who are there to keep their heart strong, not to bulk up. There are a few pretty hefty guys, but they are certainly the minority. The ladies pretty much stick to the pansy machines that was spoken of earlier. Regardless of what they do, their gym fee is the same as everyone else.

[bogey666]

[warmachinenkorea]

When you say hardcore lifters I guess you would be goin' with power guys and or bodybuilders. Power guys, I would assume are few and far between here in Korea, need only a few things, barbells weights, bench and rack. Body builders are gonna need the same but some dumbbells and machines as well. If your gonna make it here I would say you gotta appeal to the Koreans first and that would mean playin' horrid music, paint everthing pastel colors etc... Good luck though.

[in_seoul_2003]

There are alot of good machines out there. One name: Hammer Strength.

That's the overall consistently good one that can appeal to serious lifters (because they're good machines) AND anyone (because they are machines).

Of course, Universal, Flex, Icarian, Life Fitness all make good machines but the consistency of their 'goodness' across the entire range of muscles is less impressive.

This is expensive stuff. Obviously you'd have to rent the equipment.

edit: why don't you try getting in the supplement business?

[bogey666]

[dharma bum]

if you opened a spacious gym with enough regular benches, a smith machine, dipping bars, and a squat rack that customers could actually use (without being stuffed into a tight corner or having to hit everyone and their mother during their sets), i'd sign up in a second. the thing i really hate about my current gym is that there's not enough space to actually use the equipment provided in a serious fashion - and there just aren't enough of the standard benches i'd like to have. a space set aside for lunges and similar activities would be nice as well.

also, i think having some serious trainers there to help (without hovering over people or bothering them) and selling supplements, vitamins, and whatever else at a reasonable price would help make your gym a great one. whether a big gym (with really high rent) would be profitable in the end though, i don't know..

[Robot_Teacher]