Just as Marine takes a pint of blonde at the bar when she doesn’t know what to choose, the young woman turned to Basic-Fit to begin her return to sport in 2024. “It’s the most obvious choice, the most famous and most accessible room,” she explains, shrugging her shoulders, which she hopes will be square one day. By opening its 800th room in France this Wednesday, the Dutch brand is establishing itself as the essential in the sector, and plans to increase to 1,200 by 2030. Five years ago, it only had 300 rooms throughout the Europe.
Growth on steroids is all the more remarkable given the reputation that sometimes surrounds it. “Basic-Fit is seen as the gym for “noobs”,” laughs Sébastien, a bodybuilding practitioner who dissociates himself from the gym’s aficionados. “If you want to be credible in your practice, it is better to avoid going out with a Basic-Fit bag, you are directly labeled as a beginner. This is the cheap, entry-level room. » But as the judoka uses the strength of his opponent, Basic-Fit has turned this “bad” reputation into an advantage.
Basic-fit, go for cheap
Guillaume Vallet, professor of economics and author of The muscle factory (L’Echappée, 2022), explains: “This is the assumed identity of the brand, based on low cost and premium, presented as ideal for starting out among young people. » And when 34% of French people make a resolution each year to take up sport, being known for beginners quickly becomes more of the ultimate marketing argument than the dragging chain.
First bait for “neo-fit”: the promise of pumping up your biceps without deflating your wallet too much. “Price was already the number 1 criterion for choosing theaters, and its importance has only increased with inflation,” explains Guillaume Vallet. “Sport is lifting weights,” Anthony basically reminds us. He has been staying at Basic-Fit for three years without moving to a more reputable room. “No point in having the latest devices, if I can pay less. The latest machines are a bit of a jerk. We think we are constantly reinventing everything in bodybuilding when nothing replaces the basics. Dumbbells are still dumbbells, a pull-up bar is still a pull-up bar. »
The Covid revolution
If for Anthony, we will never do better than the classic squat-bench-traction, another revolution has indeed taken place with the Covid. “Since then, more and more French people are taking up sport, which partly explains the massive increase in Basic-Fit,” continues Guillaume Vallet. This has also increased digital coaching, which is very profitable for rooms. The same coach can give several lessons at the same time, via screens. » For Basic-Fit, interviewed by 20 minutes : “Digital is an integral part of our DNA. We have around a thousand partner personal trainers on our network in France. »
But the room is not only offensive to the wallet or smartphones. “They have also built a very significant territorial network in urban and peri-urban areas,” adds Christophe Lepetit, sports economist. “They are going to open several rooms at the same time with the aim of bringing the practice places closer to practitioners, whether it is a room next to where they live or where they work. » There’s nothing like it to seduce – and above all bring back – the novice, recalls Pierre, bodybuilding coach: “The bodybuilding practitioner for four years will do the forty-five minutes necessary to reach his gym if necessary and will stick to this rigor and discipline. For the beginner, the less travel he has to do, the more likely he is to be regular in his practice and to form a habit. »
Avoid overly judgmental looks
Basic-Fit confirms: “We are establishing ourselves in cities of all sizes, in different neighborhoods, by offering an attractive concept in order to best meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts. We focused on proximity which is the essential criterion for going to the gym. » Such a visual invasion of the city, with the famous Basic-Fit bag, offered with each registration and now unavoidable on the street. “It transforms every member into a logo bearer to advertise the room,” analyzes Guillaume Vallet, admiring the marketing tour de force.
Another reversal of force. Being shunned by Sébastien and other cast iron experts. “One of the obstacles to going to the gym is the fear of being looked at by others,” adds Christophe Lepetit. “Having a room known for being full of beginners is reassuring, since we tell ourselves that we will be judged less. »
“There are plenty of non-sporting people who started like me at the beginning of January,” Marine enthuses. ” It feels good ! Especially for a woman, where you are never safe from a Jean-Michel Relou who wants to explain to you how to do your exercises better than you. » Yes, Sébastien, it’s probably people like you she’s talking about.