Workout options abound at Kingsbridge gyms

In 1998, Matthew Johnson brought Astral Fitness to Kingsbridge, where the market for gyms was nothing like it is today.

Back then, the only serious competition for Mr. Johnson’s gym was Bally Total Fitness, which was just a five-minute walk away from Astral’s location on Broadway and West 230th Street. But times have changed and demand for gyms has grown.

Now Mr. Johnson is faced with a new reality: Competition from three gyms within a six-block radius, stretching from West 231st to 225th streets. There’s 24-Hour Fitness (formerly Bally Total Fitness), Planet Fitness and Blink Fitness.

“I would say that the market is becoming pretty saturated with gyms,” Mr. Johnson, the CEO of Astral Fitness, said in a phone interview. “But if everybody becomes health-conscious as they should, then we’d all be rolling with money.

Four gyms in such close proximity have made it difficult for an independent gym like Astral to stand out from the pack. But it is a challenge that Mr. Johnson enjoys.

“I like competition because it keeps everybody growing,” he said. “If they don’t learn to serve their clients the way they should, then they won’t survive and it will be better for me.”

Mr. Johnson’s love for competition is shared by Andrew Martinez, the general manager for 24-Hour Fitness at 298 W. 231st St.

“I think as long as people are working out, no matter what setting it’s in, it’s going to be beneficial for them,” Mr. Martinez said in a phone interview. “That’s the mind-set we have here at 24. Whether it’s with us or with somebody else, as long as people are working out, it’s going to be a benefit for them.”

Mr. Martinez and Mr. Johnson’s appreciation for competition comes from their confidence in their gyms. 24-Hour Fitness, a big-name gym, has state-of-the-art equipment as well as a sauna. Although Astral doesn’t have a marquee name attached to it, Mr. Johnson believes it can withstand the opposition thanks to unique programs, its own state-of-the-art equipment and knowledgeable personal trainers.

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