Golds Gym
 |
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| Private | |
| Genre | Fitness |
| Founded | August 25, 1965 Venice Beach, California, U.S. |
| Founder | Joe Gold |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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Number of locations
|
Over 700 (December 2011) |
| Owner | TRT Holdings |
| Website | www |
Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an American chain of international co-ed fitness centers (commonly referred to as gyms) originally started by Joe Gold in Venice Beach, California. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients. Its headquarters are in Dallas, Texas.
The first Gold's Gym was opened by Joe Gold in August 1965 in Venice Beach, California. Dubbed "the Mecca of bodybuilding", it was frequented by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dave Draper and featured in the 1977 docudrama Pumping Iron, which brought attention not only to the gym itself but also to bodybuilding and physique in general. To this day, Gold's is considered a landmark in bodybuilding culture and has achieved cult status. In 1970, Gold sold the chain.
Today, Gold's Gym claims to be the largest chain of unisex gyms in the world, with more than 700 locations in 37 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., as well as 20 other countries. Gold's Gym has a membership of more than three and a half million, split almost equally between male and female patrons. Gold's Gym locations are equipped with cardiovascular and strength training equipment and offer group exercise classes such as group cycling, pilates, Latin dance, yoga, and stretching through the company program of GGX (Gold's Group Exercise). Many gyms also offer basketball courts, swimming pools, and boxing studios.
The company licenses its name to products such as fitness equipment and clothing. The original Gold's Gym logo, a bald weightlifter holding a barbell, was designed in 1973 by professional wrestler Ric Drasin, who was Schwarzenegger's training partner for four years. Notable users of Gold's Gym have included such celebrities as Jessica Alba, Jodie Foster, Morgan Freeman, Dwayne Johnson, Jim Morrison,Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, and Tiger Woods, among many others. The original Gold's Gym in Venice is considered a sports landmark by ESPN and is named on its list of the 100 most important sports venues.
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Wikipedia