A wave of ultra-exclusive gyms has sprung up in America’s swankiest metropolitan areas, charging up to $2,750 a month to take advantage of lavish amenities unavailable for your average workout.
From cryotherapy to salt saunas, chic fitness freaks flock to select establishments for a taste of the high life – but only if they pass rigorous application processes designed to weed out the weak.
Some require an employment-like series of interviews, while others scour your social media to determine if you’re the “guy” who deserves a spot.
“If you were having a dinner party, you wouldn’t write your address on a flyer and put it up all over town as an open invitation,” said Colette Dong, the founder of chic New York City fitness center The Ness, as she spoke to the New York Times via their cliquey constraints.
Collete Dong, pictured, said she selects members for her exclusive New York gym, The Ness, the same way one would select guests for a dinner party
Pictured, Monarch Athletic Club in West Hollywood puts potential members through a rigorous process of medical screening, physical therapy and training evaluation to ensure they have what it takes
Ghost Gym in Brookyln, New York only accepts members who are “thought leaders, creators, founders or leaders”.
After opening her boutique gym in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood, Dong insisted the gym was by recommendation only.
“It creates a better community and environment,” she added, finding that strict rules “are really important when you’re first exercising, getting back into your routine, or trying to stick to a goal.
“You just don’t want to do it in front of a bunch of strangers.”
While locking down core clientele may seem counterintuitive to gym managers, others are taking it a step further.
Those wishing to train at Remedy Place, which bills itself as “the world’s first social health club,” must navigate a maze of applications and interviews to get accepted.
But once approved, fitness enthusiasts can enjoy some of the most lavish equipment on the scene, including IV fluids, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, compression suits and sound baths.
Memberships for the posh Remedy Place club range from $595 to $2,750 per month
The exclusive establishment describes itself as the “world’s first social wellness club”.
Membership starts at $595 per month, which buys you a single multivitamin IV, four “technical remedies,” four “breathwork ice baths,” and unlimited access to the cryotherapy chambers, according to the site.
dr Jonathan Leary, the founder of Remedy Place, said he only wanted members who were “a good representation of the brand.”
And if you want an all-access pass, that’ll cost you a staggering $2,750 per month, a price range that only cuts off the wealthiest health nuts.
“We’re looking for people who represent the brand well and who should inspire others to take care of themselves,” said Dr. Jonathan Leary, Founder and CEO.
Recognizing that the average member, and likely target audience, is a young professional in their 30s, Remedy has capped membership at its Los Angeles offices at 200 and at its New York offices at 300.
Amid the rise of TikTok fitness influencers and the proliferation of beach bodies hogging the timeline, gyms across the country have become a hotspot for selfies and content creation.
But many of those who started their high-ton establishments did so to escape just that. Sebastian Shoepe, who owns the chic Heimat gym in LA, admitted his space isn’t “designed for those who see a gym as a selfie opportunity.”
Prospective members are even tricked into revealing their social media names as only high profile recommendations are capable of breaking a sweat.
Heimat Gym is one of the most sought after gyms in West Hollywood
Far from your regular gym, home applicants are even required to reveal their social media addresses so executives can tell if prospective members are making the cut
The west coast gym offers a variety of snazzy equipment that is exclusively available to its high-paying members
Heimat owner Sebastian Schoepe said his gym is not “for those who view a gym as a selfie opportunity.”
“We don’t want to recruit people who keep to themselves and see no value in meeting like-minded people,” he added, reiterating the general membership of 30-year-old aesthetic professionals.
Some gyms, like Planet Fitness, advertise themselves as a one-size-fits-all experience, typically charging around $50 a month for an all-access pass.
But another gym that’s eschewed this approach for an exclusive feel is Ghost, a center in Brooklyn, New York that doesn’t shy away from its preferred breed of members.
After the initial application, potential insiders must pass an in-person interview and internal vetting process, with the only accepted members being “thought leaders, creatives, founders or executives,” said founder Aqib Mamoon
Aqib Mamoon, Ghost’s founder and CEO, said he only accepts “thought leaders, creatives, founders or executives” at his exclusive gym
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Ghost charges $300 a month — but only if you meet the exclusive membership requirements
While some gyms advertise themselves as “one place for all,” such a sunny prospect is put aside with memberships running into the tens of thousands a year.
To join Monarch Athletic Club in West Hollywood, individuals must undergo a medical evaluation, physical therapy and training evaluation to ensure they have what it takes.
dr Ryan Greene, Monarch’s chief medical adviser and managing partner, described the hurdles as “a few layers of checkpoints.”
“We are unique in being the first evidence-based, physician-led, one-stop shop for health and wellness,” he added to VoyageLA.
He revealed that members are re-evaluated quarterly to ensure they stay on track — a small price to pay while already spending up to $2,000 a month on a membership.