Reds started in 1963. His goal is to make an improvement every month. There have been 624 improvements since 1963. Today Red’s is over 185,000 square feet. Every time I get onshore I go here 4-5 times a week. Red has built a world class gym in the 214th largest city in the US. It’s an amazing place and an good story.
“This place started off like Red Lerille’s Health Studio, then it became Red Lerille’s Health Club, then Red Lerille’s Health and Racket Club, and eventually people dropped all that shit and called it Red’s.”
Red’s Keys to Success
1. Arrive on time, ready to work
From Red Lerille: Painting the town Red,
“Every day, Lerille rises at 2:30 a.m. and rides one of his six bikes to the club to open it at 3 a.m. He works out for about 90 minutes before he hops on his bike for about 45 minutes of cardio and then pedals home. He takes a shower, shaves, eats breakfast and then heads to the 7 a.m. mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, down the street from his home. After mass, he heads to the private airport where he hangars the antique airplanes he restores and flies one for about a half-hour. Then, he drives back to Red’s, usually arriving by 8:30 a.m.—about the time many people are grabbing their first cup of coffee for the day.”
Credit Lara Hale
2. Say hello and goodbye
Red’s has 250 employees. Guess who opens up the gym every morning at 3:00 am. Red. He usually stays until 7pm, even on Sundays.
3. Make a change every month
“You gotta have a board, with some goals written down, you have to write your goals down.”
4. Learn as much as you can
When I joined the gym he gave me the tour personally. He handed me a book One Summer by Bill Bryson. It was fun read and chronicled the crazy events of 1927; from Lou Gehrig and the Yankees to Charles Lindbergh. Not just into fitness, his hobbies are building airplanes and motorcycles.
5. Stay in shape
He works out everyday. One of the pillar habits in The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is exercising. Exercise has ancillary effects in your life that moves you to accomplish all other goals.
Tour of the facility and history of Reds.
Red’s is an anchor for Lafayette. It has
- a basketball court
- 4 large swimming pools
- boxing ring
- racketball courts
- cafeteria
- coffee shop
- 2 yoga studios
- Pilates stuio
- Cycling studio
- Outdoor obstacle course
- Day Care
- 6 squat racks and full sets of bumper plates
- MIT which is basically its version of crossfit
Besides all that is has a world class tennis facility.
- 20 outdoor courts (14 hards and 6 clay rubico)
- 3 well lit indoor courts with a viewing gallery.
This place is amazing.
Two critiques I’ve heard are were the price and the bodybuilders. The former is an excuse, and the latter is an over generalization.
- Red’s over delivers on value. Those that say it’s too expensive just don’t want to go to the gym. That’s fine, but don’t tell me about how your free week at reds was amazing, and you really wish you could afford it. I paid a one time $230 joining fee. And I pay a monthly fee including meals and tennis court of around $80 per month. You get a world class facility for a low cost and it gets better every month. That’s a high return on investment.
- “Oh Red’s, isn’t that just a meathead gym”. It is a bodybuilding gym, but its a lot more than that. Red’s foundation is bodybuilding. He was 1960 Mr. America after all. Their are serious bodybuilders there and they do stand out, but to be honest they are maybe 5% of the total membership. And I’ve never had a bad experience with them. I think the critique is based on the assumption that if you are big you do steroids and act aggressive. I’ve found Red’s to be a community of like-minded people trying to improve everyday.
Compared to other gyms Reds is incredible for the value you get in return. You get a world class facility for a low cost and it gets better every month. That’s a high return on investment.
BourbonRibeye 