It is not a luxury experience when it takes 90 minutes to get in a 45-minute workout. That is why many fitness enthusiasts are loathsome toward going to gyms. The exercise areas are jammed packed and the locker rooms resemble Grand Central Station during rush hour.
There are no such concerns at the posh Equinox health club, especially when members opt for its exclusive E membership plan. The “E,” which stands for Elite Training Center, could also mean expensive, as the annual investment for this exclusivity is $25,000. The “E” also could stand for experiential, as it is upscale from end to end.
No membership cards are required for E crowd. A member’s retina is scanned to obtain passage into this fitness enclave, which is replete with a private entrance, a changing cabana, and a private shower. Additionally, freshly laundered workout apparel and a robe are provided. A private E cabana is stocked with drinking water, hot and cold towels, and personal-hygiene products. There is also a private lounge area for members only.
The fitness benefits of the exclusive membership include a personalized fitness evaluation. Members can partake in two training sessions weekly with one of Equinox’s top-level trainers. Equinox calls its premium-training program Tier 4. It is based on individual body composition, gait, metabolic rate and movement ability—or simply stated—physicality. An advisory board of doctors that specialize in sports and fitness is also available. E memberships can be used at Equinox clubs in Greenwich, Connecticut, and in New York City’s Columbus Circle.
Equinox's Vice President David Harris told the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch that Equinox concentrates not on the equipment itself, but on what each member does with it under the supervision of a personal trainer. “We take the view that everyone is an athlete,” said Mr. Harris.
Equinox has 60 clubs throughout the U.S. with membership packages that begin at $2,360 per annum with personal-training sessions at $100 per session. The Tier 4 training package costs at least $150 per session.
The Equinox executive further stated to MW that the $25,000 package is about privacy and a concierge-style degree of attentiveness that takes going to the gym to a whole other level.
But is it worth $25,000? That is up to consumers to decide.
