Why Primal Doesn’t Look Like a “Gym”

We opened Primal in 2017…

 We knew we wouldn’t have a marketing budget. We would have to depend on our clients spreading the word about Primal. And that meant we had to get RESULTS.

So when we made our shopping list we didn’t have a massive budget and we had to focus on the basics. We installed a carpeted sprung floor. We bought big rubber bands and a few sets of gymnastic rings.  We bought crash mats, skipping ropes, mats and a rower. We built the obstacle rigs and added a couple of medicine balls.

 On the day the equipment arrived, we thought, “This is all we need.”

 And it was. 

You still won’t see pec decks or cable crossovers or leg extension machines. Instead, you’ll see people doing squats and push-ups and pull-ups. Because that’s what actually works.

 Very fit people know that a large variety of equipment is a red herring. Most gyms sell comfort: padded machines, oiled stacks, polished chrome. But truly fit people—or people who NEED to lose weight, perform, or are desperate to fix their bad backs—avoid that stuff. People with skin in the game know they don’t need more choice; they need more work.

Almost everyone who comes to Primal has been to other gyms. And almost to a person, they say, “I just didn’t get anywhere.” They looked for the cheapest option. Or the largest. Or the one with the most machines. But eventually, when they decided they needed results, they went looking for a coach.

And coaches don’t use that stuff. Professional, career coaches, whose livelihood depends on getting results, use barbells. Boxes. Squats and push-ups and food plans. Forced to choose what works, professionals choose the basics.

Many new clients who book a Discovery Chat tell us, “This just looks like a lot of open space.” It’s true: You need space when you’re going to move a lot. And if you want to get fit, you’re going to move a lot. Fitness requires no chair, no padding, no seat belt.

Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.

No wasted space. No wasted time. No wasted effort.

In hindsight, we’d buy less. Some of our kit doesn’t get the usage intended and gathers dust. But that’s okay. Instead, under the bright lights, our clients are doing cartwheels and pull-ups; climbing ropes and smiling. They’re far more fit than they were back then. Our coaching has improved tenfold. The equipment has barely changed at all.