Creating New Habits in Groningen’s Old Buildings

Inside TrainMore © Lina Tjarks

Besides saving money, 2025's top New Year's resolutions were all physical health-related. Recent statistics show that more than half of the surveyed state they want to eat healthier, go to the gym or lose weight, and Google search results for gyms spike each January. This is not a new trend - people have wanted to get fit every January for the past 40 years. However, studies have shown that half of them give up within the first month.

Now that the final week of January has begun, The Glass Room spoke to people working and exercising at TrainMore, one of Groningen's most popular gyms. Both sides noticed a stark and still ongoing increase in people coming into the gym and lots of new faces. Especially during peak hours, there is a noticeable difference compared to the last quarter of 2024, TrainMore employee Melle Zijlstra says.

Naemi Bohlken, a student living in Groningen, is part of the group that sets the resolution to use the new year as a fresh start to form or even reintroduce certain habits. She used to go to the gym more regularly but had lost track of the habit throughout the last year.

Naemi initially decided to go to the TrainMore gym in Groningen's centre at Munnekeholm because of its unique ambience. "The building looks pretty, and it's way more fun to train at a gym that is also pretty to look at," she tells The Glass Room.

The building has a far-reaching history, as its location was used as the former Academic Hospital. In 1903, parts of the building were demolished and repurposed to serve as Groningen's main post office for about 100 years. The neo-Gothic architectural features have been preserved on the facade and inside until today.

Melle tells The Glass Room that the building is the gym's unique selling point, which convinces people to sign up. "It feels special; it's not just some building packed with gym equipment," he says. Naemi says that with this gym, everything and everybody there looks pretty once you go inside. "It's this whole thing. Like a cheerleader effect, which also motivates me more."

Nevertheless, using a historic location comes with challenges. The building is a landmark owned by the municipality that underlies monument protection. Melle explains that while the building needs constant upkeep, renovations are difficult to approve. Furthermore, the building heats up significantly during the summer months, which Naemi remembers as one of the reasons she stopped going to the gym last year.

Basement of TrainMore © Lina Tjarks        

Regardless, Melle says the building's exterior and contrasting purpose create an interesting juxtaposition. "I think it adds to the vibe, modernity in the gym equipment and some antiquity in the building itself. The contrast creates a nice atmosphere to work in."

This year, Naemi - like many others - hopes to hold on to her resolutions more consistently to achieve the goals she set for the new year. Whilst January is a busy month, it is not the only time of the year in which people in Groningen set resolutions. Melle noticed that in the student city, there was a peak of gym goers in September. He says, "I always distinguish between two 'resolutioners', the new academic year and the new calendar year ones. And I think the academic year is an even busier period."