A new report from Your Personal Training (YPT) suggests UK gym operators could be missing out on revenue and retention opportunities they could be enjoying if they maximised the performance of their personal training businesses.

The report, The Million Pound PT Problem, draws on operational data collected by YPT from 400 facilities over 16 years and raise questions about the role personal training can play in driving member engagement, retention and commercial performance.

According to YPT, personal training penetration in some UK health clubs remains at around 1 - 2 per cent of members, while the strongest-performing clubs achieve 4 - 5 per cent. YPT estimates that each additional percentage point of PT penetration is worth approximately £136,800 a year for every 20,000 members served by an operator – equivalent to around £6,840 per 1,000 members.

The company argues that – when applied across larger gym estates – relatively small increases in PT penetration can translate into substantial gains in revenue and member retention, estimating the cumulative effect of underperformance across the sector could amount to more than £30m in unrealised revenue and retention value.

Rather than viewing PT performance as a sales challenge, the report says operational factors such as recruitment, onboarding, development and trainer retention have a greater influence on outcomes.

Many operators continue to treat personal training as a peripheral service or tenancy arrangement rather than as a core business function, according to YPT. This leads to inconsistent recruitment practices, limited trainer development and high levels of churn.

The report suggests many trainers move on six – 12 months after joining, before they reach stable levels of productivity.

Aaron McCulloch, director and co-owner of YPT, said: "For too long, personal trainers have been treated like tenants instead of business partners. When you build the right systems around recruitment, onboarding and development, PT stops being unpredictable and becomes one of the most reliable and profitable parts of the gym business."

The findings also point to wider commercial benefits associated with PT participation. According to YPT's analysis, members who work with personal trainers attend more frequently, are 30 per cent less likely to cancel and also remain members for an average of seven months longer than non-PT users.

In higher-performing clubs, the report says personal training has become the second-largest revenue stream and a major contributor to retention, engagement and member lifetime value.

YPT identified several characteristics common to successful operators, including recruitment based on mindset and emotional intelligence as well as qualifications, structured onboarding programmes, intervention at key trainer retention milestones and clear progression pathways supported by continuing professional development.

According to the report, these clubs achieve average trainer tenure of between 22 and 30 months, compared with an industry norm of six to 12 months.

Commenting on the findings, HCM editor Liz Terry said: "While the analysis is based on YPT's own client portfolio rather than a sector-wide study, it nevertheless highlights a important issue which demands further investigation.

"Personal training is recognised as a driver of retention, engagement and secondary spend, so understanding why some operators achieve significantly higher penetration rates than others could have important implications for the wider sector and we'd like to see this conversation developed."

YPT is calling on operators to treat personal training as a strategic business unit rather than an ancillary service to unlock significant commercial gains.

YPT offers qualifications, recruitment, training, onboarding and career development for personal trainers.