A new - or rather, previously overlooked - niche fitness center market is emerging, known as “Gray Gyms”. We think they should be called “Silver Gyms” for obvious cultural and marketing reasons, but that’s beside the point.

Have you ever wanted to start your own fitness center, but were scared off by the competition in your area? If so, perhaps you should look into starting a gray gym, silver fitness center, over-50 health club, or whatever you want to call it. The damn is high, only getting higher, and competition is definitely not at its peak.

Nifty After Fifty is a small, independently owned fitness center in Whittier, California. As you might have guessed, this fitness center caters to the over-50 crowd. And business is booming!

As the baby-boomer generation prepares for retirement and eases its way into the golden years of life, many are finding the fast-paced, high-adrenalin atmosphere of mainstream fitness centers a little to intimidating. Besides that, it isn’t exactly motivating to be struggling with a fraction of what you used to be able to lift with one hand, while watching 20-something, muscle-toned men and women workout.

This demographic has been almost completely ignored by the explosive growth of independent and franchised health clubs, including the many niche women’s fitness centers, gay gyms, and corporate health clubs.

A “gray gym” like Nifty After Fifty has easy-to-use pneumatic weight machines, low-impact cardio equipment and classes like yoga, ballroom dancing, and tai’ Chi. They provide access to licensed physical therapists and personal fitness trainers who specialize in working with mature-aged clients.

I already have a fitness marketing business to run, but if I was looking for another entrepreneurial endeavor, this would be it. Perhaps one of our readers will start their own successful fitness center for seniors. If so, come back to First Page Fitness and we’ll make sure you are well represented online.

And if you already own an over-fifty health club, don’t forget to list it in our fitness center directory.

Everett