Anchoring is a common pricing strategy that relies on a particular cognitive bias: we tend to pivot on the first piece of information we encounter when making decisions.  For instance, a merchant might present a higher-priced item in advance of the item they really want to sell.  Sure, there’s a deluxe plan at $99/week, but that standard plan at $59/month should work just fine, especially once you hear that it’s the most popular purchase.

Recognize this tactic?  You should; it’s pretty common!

It’s also something we tend to employ with our new members–not with regard to pricing, however, but with something much more important: habit creation.

At Woodshed, we program 3 main workouts per week.  These are centered around a squat, a push, and a pull, and we fill in with accessory and conditioning work to round out the picture.  We want folks–new members especially–to get into the gym three times a week; we’ve found that frequency to be sustainable and quite productive for the overwhelming majority of athletes.

But we live in a seven day world.  Fitspiration takes no holidays.  It’s easy to feel like you’re not working hard enough, even and especially when you’re working well enough.

So let’s try flipping the script.  Look at the folks who live in the gym, the ones who are able to get in five or six times a week and maintain a schedule that would break you–look at these folks as deluxe level fitness.  It’s awesome and it works for them, but they are the outliers.  Pivot away from that frequency even as you may admire the folks who are making that happen.

Now look around.  What is sustainable?  What is reasonable?  What are most people getting up to?  Let’s practice a pivot towards that 2-3x/wk frequency as the standard.  And glory be, we can even use those gym bros as a kind of fitspiration–Monday, Wednesday, Friday is a time-tested split.   They make it happen?  So will you!

It’s not easy, but establishing a fitness routine is item one on your agenda–give this some thought and try the anchoring process!

And hey…we’re always happy to help you think this stuff through.  Click here to schedule a free 30 minute strategy session with one of our professional coaches!