The iconic gym brand is going all out in its home base of Southern California, opening new clubs and upgrading existing ones with state-of-the-art equipment, amenities and floor plans

Gold’s Gym, synonymous with the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger and all things sunny California, has arrived in Long Beach with a new, state-of-the-art facility.

It comes as the renowned gym brand is re-establishing itself in its home market of Southern California in a big way, getting $15 million from one of its largest franchise groups, Gold’s Gym SoCal. The investment is earmarked for renovations, remodels and grand openings this year and next.

The latest addition, Gold’s Gym Long Beach, located at The Pike Outlets, is the ultimate destination for achieving fitness goals, says Brian Morris, senior vice president of Gold’s Gym SoCal, which operates a portfolio of 23 locations in the Southern California area.

The fitness brand had long desired to enter the Long Beach market, having established followings in close-ish areas like Cerritos, Garden Grove and La Mirada, so it jumped at the chance to bring Gold’s Gym to The Pike Outlets.

Situated across the street from Hyatt Centric, the excitement to join the LBC community appears to be mutual, with over 500 new Gold Gym members showing up the morning of the Long Beach launch. The momentum continues to grow — since opening last month, Gold’s Gym Long Beach has experienced a 288% increase in member check-ins and a 531% increase in member acquisition, according to Morris.

Inside Gold’s Gym Long Beach

The two-story Long Beach fitness club boasts Eleiko strength-training platforms, a massive free weight area, a recovery zone with HydroMassage beds, a sauna and steam room, group exercise and personal training offerings, a turf area with sled lanes and a boxing rig with heavy bags.

credit: Gold’s Gym SoCal

There’s also an “Escape Room” for a more quiet, bespoke training experience, giving Gold’s Gym Long Beach a unique edge.

“The Escape Room acts as more than just an atmospheric, functional training space,” Morris explained. “It’s about providing members with a zone in which they leave everything else at the door and enter an engaging and motivating environment that is jam-packed with all the latest functional training tools, providing them with a complete playground of exercise variety. Plus, it’s currently the only Escape Room gym in the city of Long Beach.”

The private Escape Room features traditional free weights and lifting platforms, battle ropes, slam balls, medicine balls, core bags, Strongbox benches, plyo boxes and Bulgarian bags. The space has received positive feedback from those who prefer to train away from the main gym floor during busy times and, as Morris puts it, “soak up the vibe of a more boutique, atmospheric training box.”

credit: Gold’s Gym SoCal

The Escape Rooms were a new addition to Gold’s Gym SoCal’s major renovation at its Thousand Oaks location, which debuted earlier this year and also included a posing room for fitness content creators and new equipment.

SoCal Gyms Get ‘Supercharged’ Fitness Offerings

As for other Gold’s Gym locations, two of the brand’s Los Angeles clubs, West Covina and Arcadia, will be remodeled with Olympic Lifting Platforms and The Playground (Turf) — which Morris says members love for their versatility.

“If you’re into building strength and power with Olympic lifts, the platforms have got you covered,” he said. “The turf area is perfect if you’re more into functional training and agility drills. Plus, having dedicated spaces for these activities means members can work out without feeling crowded or limited by others.”

credit: Gold’s Gym SoCal

The Gold’s Gym Fullerton location in Orange County will receive escape rooms and “The Bakery,” – a term reserved for a collection of Booty Builder glute-focused machines that promise to “make the buns rise,” as the SoCal team puts it.

“We debuted The Bakery at our Anaheim Town Square location at the end of 2023, and it’s been a fan-favorite among our members there,” Morris shared.

Over at Gold’s Gym Garden Grove and Valencia locations, the two clubs will be “supercharged” with an expanded indoor turf area, allowing more space for drills and workout classes as well as additional free-weight equipment, squat racks and new leg machines.

Looking ahead to 2025, Gold’s Gym is expected to open its $6 million Beverly Center gym at the beginning of the year.

Members Seek Personal Training, Health Monitoring

Morris says Gold’s Gym SoCal sees specific trends in its clubs, such as the growing popularity of its recovery areas and amenities, as well as an increased interest in health monitoring and body composition analysis, noting that its InBody scans are gaining traction.

“Members are eager to track their progress, set goals, and make informed decisions about their fitness journey based on accurate data,” he points out, adding that group fitness classes continue to be a major draw, particularly HIIT, yoga and cycling.

Another trend, Morris says, is a sizable increase in members using personal training services across the board at Gold’s Gym Socal. At the new location in Long Beach, he reports a sizable increase in demand for personal training sessions and programs since opening. 

While Gold’s Gym trainers are dedicated to understanding a member’s fitness levels, preferences, and limitations when creating customized workouts, Morris says the brand has also expanded its range of training options to cater to several preferences and budgets, including one-on-one sessions and small group and virtual training.

“This flexibility has made our personal training services more accessible and appealing to a wider range of members,” he said.

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