GMAT Essays (AWA)

Muscle Man Gym wants to increase women member enrollment. The percentage of women who have monthly memberships is currently only 20%. In order to increase the number of women members, Muscle Man Gym should buy more cardiovascular equipment, because women like to use cardio machines. They should also advertise with pictures of body building women and should lower prices for women members. These methods will increase the number of women members, and will increase profits.

Describe how well reasoned you find this argument. In the discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the argument's conclusion. You may also address possible changes in the argument that would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

The argument concludes that Muscle Man Gym can increase its number of women member and profits by buying more cardiovascular equipment, advertising with pictures of body building women and lowering prices for women members. The argument is inconclusive for many reasons; it is based on questional assumptions and is lacking in solid information.

First of all, the argument makes a general assumption that it should buy more cardiovascular equipment because women like to use cardio machines. The argument does not provide the basis for this assumption. Recommended fitness exercises for both men and women are typically a combination of cardiovascular and resistance training. While it may be true that men use more of resistance machines than women do, it does not directly imply that women like to use cardio machines. Buying more cardiovascular equipment purely on this basis will incur additional costs to the gym and affect profits.

Secondly, the argument proposes advertising with pictures of body building women. While this may help create an awareness among women about bodybuilding and motivate some of them to take up fitness, it may not directly lead to more enrollments by women. It maybe the case that majority of women do not consider bodybuilding among women as a feminine trait. Perhaps, the gym can advertise pictures of women trainers in the gym and success stories of women who have benefited from enrollment in the gym to attract more women members.

Finally, the argument proposes that it should lower prices for women members. While this may help increase the number of women members, it does not directly imply an increase in profits. The argument makes an assumption that the current proportion of women membership is low because of the membership price. The argument does not provide evidence like the membership prices for women in other gyms to justify this reduction.

In sum, there is merit in the author's line of reasoning to increase the number of women members and profits in Muscle Man Gym. However, the argument is not well reasoned for its questionable assumptions and lack of information to justify these assumptions.