Pasta on the floor is a cornucopia of recipes and a few life lessons. My experiences afford me wonderful ‘life material’ to consider and use here on this site.

I have written some tongue in cheek recipes in the past such as Recipe for a College Student’s Mom or Recipe For…(You name it). Here I go again.

What is the recipe for a great gym?

Cardio and coffee are my morning routine. I love them both equally and do not do well when either of them is askew. Recently, my gym has gone through a challenging transformation and a much-needed beautification. I am unsure of the impact it will have in the long haul. I think it takes more than a new locker room to create a new recipe for a gym. Maybe they lost their way or maybe, well, no telling what.

Running and managing a gym is not easy. Everyone has an issue, everyone wants a class at a certain time, or a shorter/longer schedule. I understand, however, just like cooking, you need to have the basics on hand.

I thought perhaps this gym could use a new recipe. A path or map they might follow, if I may be so bold, to create a gym environment that people want to go to and feel a sense of loyalty and belonging.

Without naming the gym, here’s to you. Happy cooking.

What you need:

• 1 open mind and a willingness to listen
• 1 list of fun classes with trained instructors that engage and encourage fun and fitness
• 1 facility that is clean and encourages and supports a clean environment
• 2 or more staff members available for help on the floor and willing to work with all fitness levels
• A pinch or two of support and accolades for the staff that goes above and beyond
• Sprinklings of communication added as needed

What to do:

Each day prepare your facility and staff for the arrival of your staff and the members.

Insure the instructors have the tools and equipment they need to be successful. Be cognizant of the member’s requests for open spin room doors, proper cleaning materials, and safe and updated equipment.

Then, listen to your members via surveys or one on one chats.

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Leaving this out of the recipe will be disastrous and may require you to start the recipe over again. People do not want to be left off an email blast or not informed of changes in advance.

Take the facility, the feedback and updated communication. Whisk in safety for the members when arriving and departing the gym and toss in some perks and give-a-ways and you will have a beautiful end product.

Now that wasn’t too hard was it? Give it a shot. Feel free to take liberty and add more ingredients if needed.