1. First established 2,800 years ago, the gym is one of the world's oldest institutions. 2. The Greek word 'gymnasium' means 'school for naked exercise.' 3. After Roman Emperor Theodosius I (347–395 CE) abolished all athletic contests, gymnasiums fell out of vogue and were not regularly built in Europe for over a thousand years. 4. Gymnasiums are sometimes called 'health clubs' or 'fitness centers.' 5. In the United States, LA Fitness makes the most annual revenue from their chain of gyms. 6. Gyms are big business. In the United States, fitness centers make around $35 billion in an average year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the US fitness industry lost nearly $30 billion, with 22% of gyms shutting down. 7. For German speakers, the word 'gymnasium' refers to secondary schools that are run by the state, rather than to places for exercise. 8. Next to the United States, the gyms of Germany and Great Britain see the most annual revenue—although the money they make combined is still only about 1/3 of what US gyms make. 9. At 41,000, the United States has the greatest number of gyms in operation. Second place is held by Brazil, where there are almost 30,000 facilities. 10. In China, there are, on average, 2,500 members per gym—the highest anywhere in the world. 11. Planet Fitness, Youfit, and Work Out World are the least expensive gyms in the United States. 12. Anytime Fitness and Planet Fitness are two of the largest global chains of gyms. 13. In Qatar, Kuwait, and Singapore, monthly gym membership fees are usually over $100, the most expensive of any country. 14. In 2021, the average monthly cost of a gym membership in the United States was around $37. 15. In a survey taken in the United Kingdom, 4.9% of people said they don't go to the gym because they have a phobia of spandex. 16. It was common for gyms built in the nineteenth century to include a spectator's gallery, so that people could watch gym-goers exercise. 17. As of 2019, around 1 in 4 Americans regularly went to a gym or fitness center. 18. Most regular gym-goers in America are under the age of 45. 19. It was common for ancient Greek gyms to also host lectures on philosophy, music, and literature. 20. Around 6% of Americans have gym memberships that they never use. 21. Approximately half of all Americans who join a gym quit their membership within six months. 22. There are around 210,000 gyms and other fitness facilities currently in operation in the world. 23. Over 40% of all gym-goers use their smartphones while they work out. 24. People with an income exceeding $150,000 tend to go to the gym twice a week or more. 25. Millennials (people born between 1979 and 1993) are more likely to have a gym membership than any other generation. 26. Only 6% of Baby Boomers have a gym membership. 27. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 74% of Americans have tried fitness apps instead of going to the gym. 28. Twenty-six percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 28 say they go to a gym in order to feel empowered. 29. Gyms were an important part of the ancient Greek city of Sparta, which had laws mandating that all male youth be trained to become soldiers. 30. Over 66% of gym memberships in the United States are held by people who self-identify as White; Hispanics and African Americans each hold a little over 12% of memberships, and Asians hold the remaining 7.2%. 31. More than half of all gym members in the United States identify as female. 32. Women are twice as likely as men to use at-home, video-on-demand programs instead of going to a gym.