The big question for gym owners: invest in recovery rooms or invest in your trainers?
The fitness industry is shifting. You can feel it in every gym fit-out, every Instagram ad and every conversation at industry events.
Recovery rooms, ice baths, saunas, red light therapy, compression boots… gyms are turning into mini wellness centres. And honestly, good on them. These add-ons can increase value, increase revenue per member and give your brand a modern edge.
But here’s the uncomfortable question no one wants to ask out loud:
If you want to scale your gym, should you invest in more assets… or should you invest in better trainers?
Because one path is predictable and the other is risky, it could get messy and interestingly wildly human.
Let’s unpack it.
Why gyms are pouring money into recovery rooms
Recovery rooms are booming because they tick every operator’s dream box:
predictable revenue
low staffing requirements
zero emotional labour
zero fear of the “star PT” walking out with half your membership base
Instagram appeal
easy upsells
no need for 1:1 mentoring
they don’t call in sick, complain, or resign
A sauna won’t DM your clients and invite them to train somewhere else.
An ice bath won’t take your members to their garage studio because they can earn more.
A pair of compression boots won’t ask for career development.
From a business perspective, it’s logical.
From a people perspective, it’s a warning sign.
Why gyms avoid investing in trainers
This podcast nails it, Recovery Rooms Won’t Save Your Gym, But this is What Could | Dr. Sean Pastuch. Developing trainers is risky nd most gyms aren’t built to handle risk.
Here’s why many avoid it:
1. They’re hard to train and harder to retain
Upskilling a trainer takes months. Sometimes years.
And the better they become, the more valuable they are as a solo brand.
2. They build deeper relationships than the business does
A PT’s job isn’t just reps and sets, It’s psychology, rapport, accountability, trust, and problem-solving.
When that bond is strong, the client feels loyal to their trainer… not the gym.
3. As soon as they become highly confident, they leave
Not because they’re disloyal. Because the industry makes it financially smarter to go independent.
4. The ROI is unpredictable
Assets depreciate in a straight line. People do not. Some flourish. Some burn out. Some move on.
5. Trainers require leadership, not just logistics
Mentoring, performance feedback, emotional intelligence, clarity, consistency. Most gym owners were never taught how to manage people, only how to train them.
So, gyms choose the easy path. They invest in assets (recovery rooms) and avoid investing in trainers.
But here’s the twist. It might not be the best long-term strategy.
The truth: recovery rooms won’t save a weak coaching culture
Recovery spaces can boost membership value.
They can help retention.
They can attract new members.
But they will never replace high-quality coaching.
People join for the results.
People stay for the relationships.
People get transformation from people… not gadgets.
A gym with an incredible coaching team is untouchable in the market.
A gym with average coaching and fancy recovery rooms is still just average.
So, what’s the best investment if you want to scale?
Here’s where the nuance comes in.
You don’t need to choose between recovery rooms and trainers.
But you do need a strategy that lets you:
develop trainers
keep them longer
protect the business
and still scale profitably
Here’s how to do that.
Step 1: Create a coaching system, not “star dependence”
The number one reason gyms fear investing in trainers is because they rely on personalities, not systems.
When your entire client experience depends on individual charisma, yes — losing a trainer hurts badly.
Instead:
build a branded coaching system
teach trainers how your gym does things
formalise programming, progressions and client communication
make it easy for trainers to step into a clear framework
When your system is strong, no single trainer walking out will sink you.
Step 2: Give trainers a real career path
Trainers leave when they hit a ceiling.
Most gyms offer:
“Teach classes until you burn out, then start over somewhere else.”
Instead, create:
Level 1 to Level 5 coach progression
senior coaching roles
paid education opportunities
mentorship roles
programming or team-lead responsibilities
When there’s somewhere to grow inside your gym, they’re not looking outside.
Step 3: Make leaving less appealing than staying
This is the secret hack.
If the best trainers can earn comparable income staying with you without the admin, risk, rent, or loneliness of being solo… they’ll stay.
Think:
revenue-sharing models
retention bonuses
higher pay rates for fully booked classes
paid time for programming
small profit share on specialty programs
Make your offer competitive without requiring them to go solo to earn properly.
Step 4: Integrate recovery rooms as a value amplifier, not a band-aid
Recovery rooms are brilliant when they’re part of a broader strategy.
Use them to:
increase perceived value
increase average revenue per member
offer bundled memberships
support high-performance coaching
position your gym as a wellness hub, not just a sweat box
Recovery without great training is shallow.
Recovery layered on top of great training is unbeatable.
Step 5: Recruit fewer trainers, but invest deeply
Don’t try to build a massive team.
Build a brilliant team.
Invest in:
two or three exceptionally good trainers
upskilling them
retaining them
building systems around them
A small, elite coaching team will always outperform a large, inconsistent one.
The real answer: scale with both… but prioritise people
Recovery rooms add value.
Assets help you scale.
They improve your offering and they absolutely have a place in a modern fitness business.
But they don’t create community.
They don’t build long-term loyalty.
And they don’t deliver transformation.
People do.
If you invest in assets before you invest in your coaching culture, you’re building a gym with shiny toys and shaky foundations.
Get the coaching culture right first.
Then let recovery, wellness and add-ons multiply that value.
That’s how you scale a gym in 2025 and beyond.
