Co_
Fitness gym
Local Dec 20, 2025 6 min read

The Science of Member Retention

DZ
Dietrich Zeledon
Founder, Co_

The fitness industry has a dirty secret: the average gym loses 50% of new members within 6 months. But some gyms keep 90%+. The difference isn't equipment or location. It's understanding the psychology of commitment—and building systems around it.

Fitness training
Section 01

The First 30 Days

Research shows that members who visit 4+ times in their first month are 80% more likely to stay beyond 6 months. The first 30 days aren't just important—they're predictive.

What happens in those days:

  • 01.Habit formation begins (or doesn't)
  • 02.Social connections form (or don't)
  • 03.Initial results appear (or frustration sets in)

AI helps you intervene at exactly the right moments during this critical window.

System Insight_

"A member who doesn't show up for 7 days has a 75% chance of canceling within 30 days. A simple 'we miss you' text on day 5 cuts that risk in half."

// The intervention isn't complicated. The timing is everything. AI never forgets to check.

Section 02

The Signals That Matter

AI can track patterns that predict churn before it happens:

>Visit Frequency

Declining visits over 3 weeks is a red flag. AI catches the pattern and triggers intervention before it's too late.

>Class Participation

Members in classes stay 40% longer. AI identifies solo members and suggests classes that match their schedule.

>Time-of-Day Shifts

When a morning person starts coming at night, something changed. AI notices and prompts a check-in.

Section 03

The Retention Playbook

High-retention gyms do these things systematically:

  • 01.Onboarding sequences: Structured first-week experience. Goal setting. Intro to community.
  • 02.Progress tracking: Celebrate wins. Make improvement visible. People stay when they see results.
  • 03.Community building: Challenges, social events, buddy systems. Connection beats convenience.
  • 04.Predictive intervention: Reach out before they're gone. A call at risk is worth 10 at cancellation.

AI doesn't replace the human touch. It ensures the human touch happens at the right time.

Ready?

Let's build your member retention system.