Gym causes huge stir for banning new members on January 1

A luxury gym is under fire after banning new members on January 1 and telling them to "take your resolutions elsewhere".

The new year is always a time for folks to start afresh and improve their physical wellbeing in line with the "new year, new me" movement.

But Equinox, who have gyms in 300 locations in the United States as well as Toronto, Vancouver and London, made it clear that they did not want to be part of proceedings with a controversial 'We Don't Speak January' campaign.

On their website, they announced all new membership applications, which cost £200 per month, would not be valid on the first day of as they described January as a "fantasy delivered to your door in a pastel-colored box".

2 January was the first date for when they were accepting new members, the gym said.

On their website, a statement read: "We aren’t accepting new memberships today. It’s not you, it’s January.

“January is a fantasy, delivered to your door in a pastel-coloured box. It talks about change. It needs a new outfit before it can begin. Short-cutting, giving up just a few weeks later.”

“You are not a New Year’s resolution. Your life doesn’t start at the beginning of the year. And it’s not what being part of Equinox is about.

“We go beyond what’s possible. We defy expectations. We are not in moderation. We want it all, every day. And you deserve it all.

“At Equinox, we don’t speak January – and neither do you.

"We look forward to helping you to our Equinox community tomorrow."

The firm also posted a now-deleted TikTok video of a man pretending to get stuck into a workout, with some accusing Equinox of "mocking" newcomers to the gym.

One user wrote: "They should go a step further and just shut down permanently."

Another opined: "This feels rude and also foolish on their part. If someone wants to pay for their expensive gyms and then not go that’s their business. It honestly feels like they are purposely trying to exclude the normal person who might not be super fit or workout daily. Not a fan."

A third concurred: "Just let people do their thing. Does it affect you at all if others have desire and hope to work out more behind the inspiration of a new year? If they stay on it, good. If not, okay. Keep trying. This is a very weird thing every year from some gym folks. Just do your thing."

A fourth commented: "Yikes. I know crowded gyms and having to wait for equipment is annoying, but let's be welcoming to newcomers who are there for the same reasons as those who have been going longer."

A fifth said: "There’s always an option to just not pay 300 dollars a month for equinox and go down the street to another gym."

SPORTbible has reached out to Equinox for comment.