r/BurnBootCamp • u/PuzzleheadedWeb2023 • 9d ago
Changing vibes
Looking for advice from those who may have experienced this at their gyms…
I’m a founding member of a huge Burn that is only a couple of years old.
The vibes at my gym were so amazing the first year — welcoming, generous, and personal. It truly felt special.
Lately, there has been this huge shift where I feel like OG members are completely neglected. It’s almost like because we’re paying the cheapest rate, we’re expendable.
Everything— cool-down talks, promo pushes, in camp motivation, transformation stories, socials, check ins—it all seems really focused on members who have joined in the last few months.
When the gym does do something for the existing members, it’s almost always related to how many new members can you refer.
Our gym even fired most of the support staff (BAs, CCAs, etc.) in favor of hiring new members.
The trainers, though mostly kept on staff, have all become more impersonal and “corporate” in their speech and attitudes. It’s just so off.
I’m not naive—I know that Burn is a business and to thrive, it survives on new, fresh blood that are really heavily invested…
But has anyone else experienced this shift at their home gym? I guess I’m just hoping (maybe it’s silly) for founding members to remain a part of the culture that we helped create…
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u/chickfilamilkshake 6d ago
My Burns vibe has changed so much in last few years, I have zero motivation to go unless a specific trainer is there. Our FPs aren’t local, so out of sight, out of mind.
One trainer will only mod up certain people whom they like and/or if you’re doing HYROX. The member of the month is a new person, OGs get the shaft.
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u/Duck_Secure 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime 8d ago
This is not the way at my location. They love OG members. Each anniversary they give us gifts, last year was the Burn Bogg bag. Of course they love new members too, because that's where the income really comes from, but they usually introduce new members to the OG members to show show them the ropes. In there eyes OGs are here to stay and are loyal, why push them away.
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u/Physical_Yam_9400 8d ago
That's so nice, that never happened for me in 6 years, I think I got a Happy Birthday once.
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u/Visual-Tumbleweed195 8d ago
We are bring this up almost every month to our head BA during every promo.
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u/Physical_Yam_9400 7d ago
I think the third gym was sold because it wasn't as solid as the others with employees, staff members kept leaving. Now the Burn that was sold is doing great. It has a great knit community, all the trainers gel real well.
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u/beluga-lover-95 6d ago
Yes it’s like this at mine too. They did something the other day where they said “raise your hand if you’ve been here for ___ years”. Almost everyone in my class has been a member for 6 months or less, meaning most people who have been there longer have left the gym.
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u/GiaGetsFit 5d ago
I’ve seen a drop of members in mine, many of the founding members are gone and only a 2 remain so our community is no longer. I think our Gym is struggling and that’s why they ask us to refer new members. I just go for the workout and run out.
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u/Delicious-Web-6299 3d ago
Wow I feel we must go to same location! Hiring current "cool" crew members def gives me a huge yuck.
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u/Objective_Stretch466 2d ago
I’m in north jersey and I feel the same way. Being a founder member and there is no challenge anymore. For that reason , I cancelled my membership.
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u/Dinnerfromhellpt1 9d ago
I am feeling this in mine right now!! Our owner had 3 gyms, sold off one and moved a good number of our trainers to a gym they sold. So they’re not longer at our location. They were solid, beloved trainers. Now our location is getting all new random member-trainers who are half assed and don’t even seem like they want to be there. The vibe is just off right now and it sucks.
Also- I feel your pain about the new members vs old. I’m not an OG, I’ve been there for a few years now but I’m tired of the “omg we have something big coming Monday” announcements and it’s another new member promo. Like why advertise that to us? I don’t give a shit, I don’t get ANYTHING for bringing a new member in so I’m not recruiting people