Gold's Gym facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Genre | Fitness |
| Founded | August 25, 1965 in Venice Beach, California, U.S. |
| Founder | Joe Gold |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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Nearly 700 worldwide (May 2020) |
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Area served
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United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Nepal, Jordan, India, Czech Republic, Australia, Costa Rica, Israel, Japan, Morocco, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Indonesia, Spain, Poland, Venezuela, Mongolia, Philippines, Armenia, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Kuwait, Georgia, Bangladesh |
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Key people
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Sebastian Schoepe (CEO) |
| Parent | RSG Group |
Gold's Gym is a famous chain of fitness centers, also known as gyms. It started in Venice Beach, California, in the United States. Joe Gold opened the first gym.
Gold's Gyms offer many types of equipment. You can find machines for cardio, like treadmills, and equipment for strength training. They also have group exercise classes. Gold's Gym's main office is in Dallas, Texas. Today, a company called RSG Group owns Gold's Gym.
Contents
The Story of Gold's Gym
Joe Gold opened the very first Gold's Gym in August 1965. This was in Venice Beach, California. Back then, modern health clubs did not exist.
His gym had equipment that Joe Gold built himself. People called it "the Mecca of bodybuilding". Famous bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dave Draper trained there.
How Gold's Gym Grew
In the 1950s, bodybuilding was not very popular. It was seen as a sport for outsiders. Most gyms in California were outdoors. Joe Gold wanted a better place to train.
In 1965, he turned a building he owned into the first Gold's Gym. Many bodybuilders loved it right away. It became known as the place where legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger trained.
Even though many people liked the gym, it was hard to make enough money. Joe Gold built his own equipment to save costs. But the monthly fees were not enough. In 1970, Joe Gold sold the gym for $50,000. He wanted to go back to working at sea.
The new owners also struggled to make a profit. Then, in 1971, a gym member named Ken Sprague bought it. Ken had a background in movies. He brought new energy to the gym. He started organizing bodybuilding shows. This helped Gold's Gym become successful.
The Famous Gold's Gym Logo
The well-known Gold's Gym logo was created in 1973. It shows a bald weightlifter holding a barbell. A professional wrestler named Ric Drasin designed it. He was Arnold Schwarzenegger's training partner. He sketched the logo on a napkin during a break. This logo quickly became a famous symbol in bodybuilding.
Gold's Gym in the Movies
In 1975, a filmmaker named George Butler decided to make a movie. It was a docudrama called Pumping Iron. Gold's Gym was the main place where they filmed.
Ken Sprague, the gym owner, gave the filmmakers full access. He even helped prepare the gym for filming. He painted over windows to control light and added special lighting. The movie ran out of money, but Arnold Schwarzenegger helped raise more funds.
Pumping Iron became a huge success. It made Gold's Gym famous around the world. It also brought a lot of attention to bodybuilding. Because of the movie, Gold's Gym became known as a landmark in bodybuilding. It gained a special "cult status."
Becoming a Worldwide Franchise
In 1979, Ken Sprague sold Gold's Gym to three new owners. These were Ed Connors, Pete Grymkowski, and Tim Kimber. At this time, it was the most famous gym in the world.
The new owners moved the gym to a much bigger building. They also started a franchise system in 1980. This meant other people could open Gold's Gyms in different places. Gold's Gym was one of the first fitness companies to do this.
The brand grew quickly. They sold licenses for fitness equipment and clothing. In 1985, the first Gold's Gym outside the USA opened in Canada. By 1993, over 1 million people were members. Gold's Gym expanded globally in the 1990s, reaching countries like Japan and Russia.
As it grew, Gold's Gym changed. It became a modern commercial gym. In 1999, the company was sold for about $50 million. It was sold again in 2004 for $150 million.
Gold's Gym kept growing. It added modern wellness programs. The original Gold's Gym in Venice Beach is now a national sports landmark. Many celebrities have used Gold's Gym. These include Jessica Alba, Dwayne Johnson, and Tiger Woods. In 2016, Gold's Gym opened 58 new locations. In 2017, it opened its first gyms in Amman, Jordan.
New Owners: RSG Group
The Covid-19 pandemic caused problems for many businesses. Gold's Gym had to close its US locations temporarily in March 2020. In April 2020, Gold's Gym announced it would permanently close 30 locations. The company filed for bankruptcy for its company-owned gyms. This affected about 10% of its nearly 700 locations worldwide.
On July 13, 2020, Gold's Gym was sold in an auction. Rainer Schaller, who owns the German fitness company RSG Group, won the auction for $100 million. Rainer Schaller had always dreamed of owning Gold's Gym. It had inspired him to start his own fitness company.
Before this, RSG Group mainly operated in Europe. By buying Gold's Gym, it became a global company. Since then, Gold's Gym has been updated and improved. New gyms have opened in places like Austria, Italy, and Germany. Expansion continues worldwide, including in Europe, India, and Australia. Many existing gyms are also being modernized.
How Gold's Gym Works Today
Gold's Gym is owned by the international fitness company RSG Group. It has about 68 gyms owned by the company. It also has about 520 international gyms run by franchisees. These gyms are in many countries. Some examples are Australia, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The main office is near Dallas.
Gold's Gym has locations on six continents. In 2015 and 2016, Gold's Gym was ranked very high for customer satisfaction.
In 2017, Gold's Gym launched GOLD'S AMP. This is a fitness app. It works like a digital personal trainer. People can use it anywhere, anytime. It has many workout options led by Gold's Gym coaches. It also has thousands of music mixes.
In July 2020, the new owner, RSG Group, reported that Gold's Gym had 61 company-owned gyms. It also had over 600 franchise-owned gyms.
Programs for Companies
Gold's Gym has a program for companies. It helps employees stay healthy and fit. Over 3000 companies are partners in this program. Some partners include Home Depot and Bank of America. This program offers special health and fitness plans for employees. These plans include gym memberships, nutrition advice, and wellness programs.
Gold's Gym is also one of the official health clubs for AARP. It also works with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Equipment at the Gyms
Gold's Gyms have large areas for strength training. They have heavy dumbbells and Olympic barbells. There are also areas for endurance training. This includes machines like treadmills.
Many different fitness classes are offered in special rooms. You can also hire personal trainers for extra help. All Gold's Gyms have at least one sauna. Some locations even have a special room for bodybuilders to practice their poses.
Gold's Gym Fitness Competition
Gold's Gym holds an annual fitness competition in the USA. It used to be called the Gold's Gym Challenge. This competition lasts for 12 weeks. It focuses on how much a person's body changes.
Participants start by taking measurements and photos of their bodies. After 12 weeks, they take new measurements and photos. This shows their progress. Each Gold's Gym chooses its own winners. These winners then compete nationally. Finally, an overall winner is chosen.
The winners have been featured in many publications. In 2023, the Gold's Gym Challenge USA was replaced by the Gold's Gym Fitness Competition.
Gold's Gym Nutrition
In 2021, RSG Group started a new part of the business. It is called Gold's Gym Nutrition. This brand sells its own line of nutritional supplements. These products help athletes. They come as drinks, shakes, bars, powders, and capsules.
Gold's Gym Sportswear
Since the 1980s, Gold's Gym has sold special clothes. These clothes have the famous logo of the bald weightlifter. This logo has become a well-known symbol in bodybuilding.
Today, the "Gold's Gym Apparel" business designs its own sportswear. These clothes are made for both men and women. They are designed for workouts. Some items are even made in a sustainable way in Portugal. In April 2024, Gold's Gym Apparel was at FIBO. This is the world's largest fitness trade fair in Cologne, Germany.
Gold's Gym Franchise Groups
Gold’s Gym SoCal
Gold's Gym SoCal is a group that owns 23 Gold's Gym locations. These gyms are in the Southern California area. The Banos brothers operate this group. They opened their first gym in North Hollywood in 1988.
Gold’s Gym India
Gold's Gym India has over 150 locations. These are in more than 90 cities across India. Gold's Gym started in Mumbai in 2002. It is the second-largest fitness group in India. Today, "Fitness Unicorn Cult.fit" owns it.
Gold’s Gym Japan
In Japan, Eiji Tezuka is the largest franchise owner. He has grown Gold's Gym in Japan to over 95 facilities.
Gold’s Gym Arabia
The Gold's Gym Arabia group has over 70 gyms. These are located in Saudi Arabia. Batterjee Holding Co. in Jeddah owns this group. The gyms use modern Matrix Fitness equipment. Gold's Gym has helped women's fitness grow in Saudi Arabia.
