Relocation to Area / Point of Interest: Fitness Industry (Columbia, Greenville: standard of living, professionals)

[Kathealy]

For quite sometime now, my husband and I are considering a move south. Presently, we live on Long Island (I was born and raised here and my husband is from cow country in upstate New York).

While he has traveling this country far more extensively than I have, his last contact with the south (other than a few golf junkets to Myrtle Beach) was about 15 or more years ago. A lot has changed everywhere in that time -- so he is no longer familiar.

To that end, his business is within the fitness industry. He runs a higher end healthclub here -- and also still maintains some clients for personal training. I, too, am a certified trainer -- but this is not my bread and butter.


Long segue way into my question (sorry!): are there a lot of health clubs or gyms in the area? If so, what is the ration of the more upscale clubs to bare bones facilities? Is the general population in Greenville (and surrounding communities) into fitness? Is there a high demend for personal training?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[thurx]

Actually, I think you needed all that introduction Kathealy to properly pose the question! Unfortunately, I'm not a health-club professional, so I can't get into the answer you are really seeking. However, I don't like to see your question go un-answered for so long, so here's my take on it. I've been to Long Island once to play golf. It seems to be a place drawing its residents from the wealthiest strata of those working in one of the largest cities in the world. So it has a very different makeup from most communities, and should be one of the largest, homogenious affluent communities in the world.

So my answer is more one based on social "geography". Logically, you husband would have to find similar social geography to find something close to the levels of health-clubs you describe. There are probably no "high-end" health clubs in Greenville. There might not be any in all of South Carolina, or maybe one or two in Columbia.

On the other hand, as you can read from other Northerners or once-Northerners posting on this forum, you need way less money to afford nice housing here than in NY. So the standard of living may be the same here with a lesser paying job. But if the status of the type of club worked is important to the resume, for future job jumps, you may need to look at larger cities in the South, like Atlanta. That's the best I can do. Hope you get some input from some professionals soon though!

Also, as to fitness, I moved here from California a year ago and was surprised to find how many people just forget about outdoor tennis here from November until April. This although the weather is hardly cooler than that out west. I would have to say there is less interest in health and fitness here than in metropolitan areas in California. If I could generalize though (and I admit to all kinds of prejudice!) I feel the native Southerners, which comprise a fair percent of the population, are less into health awareness than are the "imports". To be really clear on this and not incite any flaming, I'm saying this based on percentages of the population that are into health issues, not the degree of zeal or earnestness an individual may have. So if I'm right on this, then that's a factor affecting any Southern city. Again, I would say Atlanta would be the best bet for opportunities, mostly because of having some fairly large affluent suburbs, and secondly for having the cosmopolitan mix with a lot of outsiders.

[Kathealy]

Thank you for responding -- I appreciate it.

I chose my words poorly: high end health club for me is not synonymous with an affluent -- 'ritzy' health club ie., like an Equinox which is a ridiculous amount of money (upwards of $125 per month plus an euqally ridiculous registration fee) that is more a spa than gym.

My definition of higher end would be a gym that has many fitness classes including yoga, pilates, Zumba, latest technology equipment, full weight training area that has excellent lighting, clean facility, staff that uses very current techniques versus a 'lifting' gym that is dark, dank -- and relies on the tried-and-true iron barbells and dumbbells only with 'spitoons' next to the squat rack for someone to vomit in after they push themselves too far.


When I search the yellow pages on line for gyms/health clubs -- seemingly there are a lot of them in Greenville alone (43) with 210 options in the area within 50 miles of the center of Greenville.

My best friend was a resident of Raleigh -- and there were a lot of options as well as personal training was a huge success there. I believe the hourly fee there was more than my husband's fee here in NY.


Again, thanks for your thoughtful reply. I guess I won't know much else until I make the trip down there for an extended period of time, rather than the weekend trip I had been planning.