Equinox, the luxurious fitness club, is offering a $40,000 gym membership aimed at improving members’ longevity. This large sum is equivalent to almost 70% of the average American salary, with average annual salaries sitting around $59,000. Equinox decided to partner with the lab testing platform Function Health to launch “Optimize by Equinox” which combines medical testing with sleep training, massage therapy, and the gym’s traditional offerings of personal training and nutrition guidance.
This pricey program at Equinox includes two lab panels per year that test for 100 biomarkers, ranging from organ health to cancer genes to nutrient levels. The Optimize program also includes two fitness tests per year to gauge physical strength, cardio health, flexibility, and more. Additionally, members are provided with three hour-long personal training sessions per week and one-on-one meetings with a nutritionist, sleep therapist, and masseuse for 16 total hours of sessions per week.
New initiatives like Optimize by Equinox show tremendous growth and interest in the health and wellness community. However, programs like this are not truly helping the public understand the value of health and wellness. Accessibility issues are a big concern for the general public’s use of Optimize by Equinox. There is no doubt that all these mental and physical health components would boost one’s health drastically. However, we should be looking to invest and support similar programs that are accessible and affordable for mainstream Americans. Obesity is a nation-wide crisis in America, and Optimize by Equinox does not provide a solution. Education and access to impactful mental and physical health programs should be available to all Americans, not just the rich.