CREATING THE MOST EFFECTIVE SPACE DOESN’T HAVE TO BREAK THE BANK
The common misconception when creating a gym or PT studio is that more equals better. The more equipment you have the more members you cater to right?
Not necessarily, some of the most effective and carefully thought out training spaces consist of open floor space where the tool of choice is a barbell and plates rather than a plethora of gym machines, each targeting different muscle groups in different ways.
Now, of course, every facility is unique, some cater towards members who prefer the machines as it provides a stable more accommodating way to train, but there are those that prefer a more functional style of training and sometimes it really comes down to listening to your clients/ members and actually speaking to them about what they want.
It may be tempting to invest in more equipment when looking to add variety to your facility, however sometimes careful thought, planning, and listening should come first, this allows you to create a training environment perfect for your members, which may be more cost-effective as you think.
THE EQUIPMENT
If you’re in the process of opening a facility it can be easy to follow the thought process that every piece of equipment fulfils a specific purpose, this could end up expensive due to the sheer amount of equipment you would need, it could end up in a potentially cramped training area and would see a budget get exhausted faster than you think.
Taking a member-centric approach coupled with careful thought and planning you could create a facility fit for its purpose with equipment and culture which genuinely helps your members achieve their goals in line with your budget.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
01
Rigs
Functional training rigs have become extremely popular as they can facilitate multiple users performing different exercises in one compact design. They can be individual, and purpose built around your facility.
02
Racks
A squat rack can include integrated pull up bars, landmine attachments, and even dip attachments, making what used to be JUST a squat rack into a training station that fulfills multiple uses.
03
Multi- Purpose
There are plenty of machines that allow for different exercises in one place, these can help save both space and money when thinking of what equipment to buy. Items such as the Leg curl/Ext combo and the trap /shrug/ lunge machine can facilitate multiple exercises in one.
04
Accessories
Items such as suspension trainers can facilitate hundreds of exercises, for a relatively small investment. The same can be said for resistance bands,gym rings, and conditioning equipment such as medicine balls, kettle bells and battle ropes.
THE INTERIOR
Purchasing new equipment should be exciting and it often is, however, something that could benefit members a lot more could be a freshly painted dynamic interior which adds to the mood of your facility and motivates the members that train there. Sometimes refreshing the interior of your gym or investing in a higher-quality furnishing could cost just as much as one piece of equipment but could see much more benefit. So when it comes to investing in your facility, the paint, furnishings, and interior design should be considered just as much as the equipment.
THE DESIGN
We are big believers in careful gym design (it’s what we do after all) and we believe it’s important to consider the layout of your gym before deciding on what equipment to purchase, you may find that you may not need that prone row bench that you fell in love with a few weeks ago. Take a look at our Gym design tips for more.
To conclude every individual is unique, everyone likes to train in their own way, but often it’s not the equipment you purchase it’s the community and atmosphere you provide for your members and that isn’t as expensive as you might think.
We offer a full no commitment consultation service, tell us your plans, and your budget and we can advise on the best way to move forward.
