破解全球增长最快连锁健身房的成长秘诀

    步入随时健身俱乐部（Anytime Fitness），你可能会注意到，这里缺乏普通健身房的许多特色。没有大型健身器械，没有拥挤的人群，也没有喘着粗气的健身爱好者彼此较劲。

    你还会注意到，这家健身俱乐部的面积很小——只有4000到6000平方英尺，比起Equinox等提供全方位服务的健身中心，它的面积小了将近八倍。健身房里干净整齐，没有员工把文件推到你面前，劝说你报名参加健身房最新的减肥计划，“五天狂减20公斤。”

    在这个轻松友好的环境中，我们看不到这些景象，正如随时健身俱乐部首席执行官查克•鲁尼恩希望的那样：“我们就像不卖啤酒的欢乐酒吧。”

    当然，在电视剧《欢乐酒吧》（Cheers）里，人人都知道你的名字。但是这个地方没有电视剧主角萨姆和戴安娜的爱恨情仇，也没有总是垂头丧气的诺姆和克里夫。

    根据国际健身球类和体育俱乐部协会（The International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association,）今年发布的报告显示，正是这种良好的氛围帮助随时健身公司成为世界增长最快的健身俱乐部，这也是这家家公司连续六年保持的一项项殊荣。过去11年里，这家总部位于明尼阿波利斯的连锁企业扩展到全球2,200多家健身俱乐部，遍及美国50个州和14个国家。相比之下，赛百味（Subway）用了23年时间才开设了2000家餐厅，而麦当劳（McDonald）用了32年时间才达到2000家餐厅。

    尽管随时健身俱乐部缺乏普通健身房的传统特色，但是却拥有种类繁多的健身课程。走进俱乐部，你会发现前台有100多种不同的视频课程供你选择，可以随时报名参加。你想锻炼肌肉吗？尽管来吧。你想学习搏击健身操吗？他们也有这个项目。挑选自己想参加的课程，走进多功能厅，然后就可以开始认真锻炼了。如果这些课程不能提起你的兴趣，随时健身俱乐部还配备有氧健身器械，比如跑步机和椭圆机，以及阻力训练设备和举重器材。

    有些热情的会员和员工会秀出随时健身俱乐部的纹身，验证了这家健身房和会员的特殊关系。鲁尼恩说：“在2005年的一次会议上，有位圣路易斯的特许经营者开始这么做。从此以后，有1,000多人纹上了随时健身俱乐部的紫色跑步男子纹身。”

    他当然了如指掌，因为为纹身买单的就是随时健身俱乐部。所有纹身者要做的只是告诉大家，他们为什么要纹这个图案。每个人的理由各不相同，有些人归功于这家健身俱乐部让他们的体重明显下降，或者提升了他们的自尊心。

    可以肯定的是，随时健身俱乐部的迅速崛起恰逢健身俱乐部行业整体的繁荣发展。根据市场研究公司IBISWorld的研究显示，全美国健身俱乐部会员有望在2013年达到5,200万人，创下历史新高。2013年美国健身房、健身会馆和健身俱乐部的营收预计高达259亿美元。随时健身俱乐部的营收在过去五年增长了80%，到2012年年底超过4.84亿美元。鲁尼恩预计整体营收将在今年年底超过6亿美元。

    Step inside an Anytime Fitness gym and you'll likely notice more of what it lacks than what is there. No massive machinery, mobs of people, or grunting bodybuilders trying to outdo one another.

    You'll also take note of the club's particularly small size -- only 4,000-6,000 square feet, nearly eight times smaller than full-service gyms like Equinox. It's clean and tidy, and there are no employees shoving papers in your face convincing you to sign up for the gym's new weight loss plan, "how to lose 50 pounds in five days."

    There is none of that in this decidedly unintimidating environment, and that's exactly how Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon wants it. "We are Cheers without the beers."

    Cheers, of course, the place where everybody knows your name. But this spot doesn't have any Sam-and-Diane-relationship-tensions, and Norm or Cliff won't be dropping by anytime soon.

    It's that vibe that has helped make Anytime Fitness the fastest growing fitness club in the world, according to a report released this year by The International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, a title the company has held for the last six years. In 11 years, the Minneapolis-based chain has expanded to more than 2,200 clubs worldwide, in all 50 U.S. states and 14 countries. By comparison, it took Subway 23 years to reach 2,000 restaurants and McDonald's (MCD) 32 years to reach 2,000 restaurants.

    Anytime lacks some of the traditional trappings of a gym, but it does have plenty of classes. Walk in, and you will find a kiosk holding more than 100 different video classes that are accessible at all times. Want muscle conditioning? Got it. Want to take a turbo kicking class? They have that too. You pick your class, head into a multi-purpose room, and you're off and running. If the classes don't intrigue you, Anytime Fitness has cardio equipment like treadmills and ellipticals along with resistance workout equipment and free weights.

    The relationship between the gym and its members is special, as evidenced by the Anytime Fitness tattoos sported by its passionate members and employees. "It started with a St. Paul franchise owner at a conference in 2005. Since then, over 1,000 people have gotten the Anytime Fitness purple running man tattoo," Runyon said.

    He should know. Anytime Fitness foots the bill for the body art; all the tattoo recipients have to do is share why they're getting it. The reasons vary, including some crediting the chain with dramatic weight loss or boosting their self-esteem.

    To be sure, Anytime Fitness' ascendance coincides with a boom in the fitness club industry as a whole, with membership expected to reach an all-time high of 52 million in 2013, according to research from IBISWorld. Revenues for gym, health, and fitness clubs in 2013 are estimated to reach a record high of $25.9 billion. Anytime Fitness has seen revenues grow by 80% in the last five years to more than $484 million at the end of 2012, and Runyon anticipates system-wide revenue exceeding $600 million at the end of this year.