Chapter 16
Health and Fitness
Equipment Considerations
SGMA
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45 million Americans over age 6
trained w/ free weights
Has risen 101%
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Total adult part. in free weight use risen 119% since 1987
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Hand wts most popular up 16%
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over 27 million part.
SGMA
Women comprised 45% of all people who exercised
with free weights.
Spectacular rise of weight training among women
(up 203% from 1987)
One of the most dramatic fitness trends of the late
20th Century.
SGMA
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Under age 25 - 36%
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Ages 25- 44 - 39%
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Ages 45 and up - 25%
SGMA
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But did you know?
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Biggest boom - free weight users
55 and up
1987 – just over 750,000 participants
2001 – 6 million participants
=
700 %
What’s Popular?
Equipment
% of clubs offering
Free Weights
97%
Treadmills
95%
Upright Bikes
94%
Recumbent Bikes
93%
Climbers/Steppers
93%
Elliptical Machines
92%
Plate-Loaded Equipment
87%
Selectorized Equipment
81%
Group Exercise Studio
78%
Rowers
77%
Source: IHRSA 2002 Member Census
SGMA
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Completed 1-3 yrs of college
of weight training population - 50%
North central region US –
11 million participants 114% jump since 1987
FACILITY EQUIPMENT
CONSIDERATIONS
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Function
Versatility
Space
Safety
Durability/Maintenance
Cost
Staffing
Equipment Function
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Consider your club’s mission
What type of equipment would serve your target
market the most effectively?
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Consider SES, Age, Families, Gender
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Place each piece of equipment into a category
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> % Free weights = Lower SES, more men
Cardiovascular/strength/abdominal/group ex.
Ask yourself 4 questions
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What kind of image do I want to project?
Who will be using the equipment?
What is the basic purpose of the equipment?
Will there be an emphasis on strength or endurance equipment?
FUNCTION
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What kind of image do you want to project?
Who will be using the equipment?
What is the basic purpose of the equipment?
Will there be an emphasis on strength or
endurance equipment?
Free Weights vs. Machines
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Free weights can be intimidating
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If your mission is multipurpose, you want a higher %
of machines
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Machines help people feel comfortable
Older population & women will be more likely to join
Free weights are still important
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Don’t skimp on quality or buy used free weights
Get rubberized DB & plates rather than iron
Upholstery should match selectorized machines
User Appeal
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Convenience and Comfort
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Soft padding
Easy adjustments
Small incremental weight adjustments
Smooth resistance patterns
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Go to the vendor factory and try out machines
Brand Names
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Instant credibility and appeal
VERSATILITY
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Is it multi-functional?
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Can the novice operate it and can the
experienced benefit from it?
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Can it accommodate a variety of populations?
(aging, obese, youth…)
Versatility
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Should be reasonably portable
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Adjustments
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Design changes over time
Maintenance issues
Consider placement and potential removal
Can various sized people fit on the machine?
Are the adjustments easy for the average person?
How many adjustments does one have to make?
Multipurpose
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Can the piece serve more than 1 function?
If so, how likely is it that people will use the 1 function?
SPACE
 Determine how many pieces you need and
how many can fit in the available space.
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Each station - ~46-50 sq. ft of space
Space Allocation
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Each station needs ~ 46 sq./ft. of floor space
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Take total sq./ft and divide by 46
Don’t forget to add in circulation space
Use manufacturer to help design if possible
Optimize space utilization
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Plan for as many exercise “patterns” as possible
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Indoor track around selectorized area
Free weights adjacent to selectorized machines
Abdominal mats near strength training areas
Wow Effect
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When possible, place your newest, best equipment near the entrance
or on the outside of the fitness area
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Will help the perceived image of the club
SPACE
Example:
7,500 sq ft exercise space/50 SF per station
feature 150 stations
breakdown – 50 cardio pieces
and 90 strength training pieces
10 core pieces
3:2:1 (:1/2) tread/ellip/bike/stair
SPACE
 ACSM recommends:
 Allow 20-40 sq ft for ea. pc. Equipment
 Some experts recommend 46 SF/pc.
 And 20-25 sq ft for ea. User
 ADA guidelines
SPACE
Short on space?
“Jungle Gyms”
Dumbbells
Stability Balls/Medicine Balls
Tubing and Bands
Home Depot is your best buddy
when you are poor
SPACE
Tip: Can you get it in the front door?
 Make sure you can get it in the door
 Takes $$ to take door frame apart, not to
mention time
Durability
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Usage patterns will cycle
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Functional pieces get lots of use today
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Pulley systems or Freemotion Fitness Equipment
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Consider vendor warranties
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Very important part of the sales package
Serves as a rough indicator of it’s life expectancy
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http://www.freemotionfitness.com
Structural frame should be lifetime, upholstery only 6 months
Check out how its made
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Joint, chassis, padding, bearings, chains & belts, electronics
Safety
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Should be #1 priority
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Inadequate equipment can be grounds for negligence
Safe place statutes
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Entitle users to safe environments
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Shrouds, bolts, welds, anchored to floor
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Any weight stack should have a protective shroud to minimize risk of
injury
Cardiovascular Equipment
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Place an additional burden of care on fitness centers
Keep electrical plugs grounded with fault interrupters
Lots of preventative maintenance required
Staff Supervision
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No equipment is safe enough to take the place of staff
Ensure someone is supervising weight floor at all times
MAINTENANCE
 In house or out?
 Will it cost you more to maintain a cheaper
piece of equipment?
 Parts, warranty, availability of vendor
MAINTENANCE
Tips:
 Got space? Get 2
 Chains turn equipment “religiously”
 Cardio after 3yrs
 Strength after 6yrs
 Narrow choices to 2 or 3 of the best
manufacturers
WHAT KIND TO GET?
 Cardiovascular Equipment
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Commercial grade
Residential grade
 Strength Training Equipment
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Free weights
Selectorized
Plate loaded
 Functional Accessories
 What’s New and Hot (or just out there)
CARDIOVASCULAR
 Are you going to have a cardio theater?
(individual monitors)
 Televisions? Radio hookup?
 Television monitoring kid’s room?
 Electronic Surveillance?
CARDIOVASCULAR
Cardiovascular Equipment
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What are we talking about?
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Treadmills
Ellipticals
Stationary Bikes
Etc…
Treadmill
Lifefitness 9500 HR
Precor C966
Exercise Bikes
Precor C846-U
Precor C846-R
StairClimbers
SC 9500HR Stairmaster
StepMill 7000 PT
Elliptical Machines
Precor EFX 546
Life Fitness CT 8500
Specialty Machines
Cybex ArcTrainer 5000
Specialty Machines
Tunturi R780 Rower
Versa Climber
Specialty Machines
Nu Step
Scifit Ergometer
Specialty Machines
Brewer’s Ledge
Climbing Walls
CARDIO EQUIPMENT
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Basic Package 3-4 pieces
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1-2 Treadmills
1 Exercise Bike
1 StairClimber or
1 Elliptical Machine
$9,000-$18,000
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Moderate Package 5-9 pieces
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2-3 Treadmills
1-2 Exercise Bikes
1-2 StairClimbers
1-2 Elliptical Machines
$18,000-$35,000
CARDIO EQUIPMENT
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Comprehensive Package 10-20 pieces
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4-6 Treadmills
3-6 Elliptical Machines
2-5 Exercise Bikes
2-3 StairClimbers
1-2 Specialty Machines
$35,000+
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Free Weights
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Selectorized Machines
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BB, DB, Olympic plates
Pin adjustment, weight stack
Plate-loaded Machines
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Uni-lateral, Iso-lateral
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Free Weights
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Dumbbells, barbells, weight plates
Three planes
Benchs, racks, and trees
More economical
Proper training and supervision
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Selectorized Machines
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Single-stations or Multi “jungle gym”
One or two planes of motion
Cables, belts, pulleys, chains
Novice
Size matters
Less stabilization required
Spotter/Babysitter - Staffing
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Nautilus Nitro
Cybex VR2
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Nautilus “Jungle Gym”
Nautilus Gravitron
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Free Motion
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Plate-loaded Machines
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Unilateral
Iso-lateral (i.e. Hammer Strength)
Everyones putting out plate loaded
Better safety than free weights
Heavier weight workouts
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Hammer Strength Plate Loaded
Body Master
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Platforms
Power Lift
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STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Elastic Bands and Tubing
Three planes
 ROM
 Group Exercise Classes
 Inexpensive
 Portable
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STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
Purchasing the Equipment
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Take inventory
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What do you have? What do you need?
Review the market
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Get a clear picture of industry trends and proven
manufacturers
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You may want to hire a consultant for this process
Some vendors represent a number of product lines – equipment
brokers
Identify staff members who may research the equipment for you
Writing specifications
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For each piece – Brand X, Model B, or equivalent
Be flexibly to allow for more competitive bids
Purchasing the Equipment
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Initiation
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Request Review
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Send it to the vendor – complete list
Payment
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Evaluate bids on both equipment quality and price
Purchase Order
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Prepare the specs and provide to bidders
Bid Evaluation
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Manager assigns a code number to the item in the budget category identified
Specifications Prepared
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Manager approves or rejects the request
Budget Review
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Request made to manager
Cut check and mail in on delivery
Payment Schedule
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50% down, and 50% on receipt of the equipment
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Withhold 10% for 30 days to encourage prompt installation
Purchasing the Equipment
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Getting Bids
Establish a list of responsible bidders (3)
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Formal approach
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A bid sheet is provided to each bidder on the list
Informally communicate with bidders after receiving them to ensure
you get the lowest possible price
Profit margin
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History, delivery, service, dependability, size of inventory, financial
stability, promptness
Winning bidder will ultimately cut this to win
Will help the overwhelming service calls if they win
Stay with a single product line – if possible
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All things being equal, keep as much of your equipment from the same
manufacturer as possible
Equipment Cost
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Can break the bank
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Point of diminishing returns on gadgets
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Stick with a proven name brand
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Name recognition and function attracts members
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Cybex, Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Precor, Ivanko
Should not represent > 3 to 5% of start-up cost
Refurbished Equipment
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Elaborate treadmills w/fans, electronic selectorized pieces
Can save you ~ 30%, may be an option
Trade in value is $0.35 to $0.65 on the dollar
Consider the vendor agreement
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Some will take trade-in value at a later date
Some provide maintenance agreements and free design and setup
STRENGTH EQUIPMENT
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Accessories Add Up - $$
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Budget it in
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Don’t forget rubber mats
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Storage Bins, shelves, and hooks
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Take things up to save space
Dollars & Sense
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Leasing
Purchasing
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New vs. Used
Borrowing
Stealing (just kidding)
Dollars & Sense
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Why Lease?
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You can lease almost any kind of equipment
You choose the equipment you want
You get a longer term, smaller payments
You enjoy virtually 100% financing
You gain possible tax advantages
You can build your available credit
You can project costs more accurately
You keep both cash and machines generating profits
You can deal with budget restrictions
You can get a hedge against obsolescence
Dollars & Sense
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Leasing Options
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A fixed, predetermined end-of-lease cash buyout price.
A fixed, predetermined end-of-lease percentage buyout price.
End-of-lease refinancing of your equipment for a new lease term.
Turning your existing equipment over to the lease company at the end
of the lease term, acquiring new equipment and a new lease.
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WHEN BUYING
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Shop around
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Test Drive
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Check out competition
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When on vacation
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Distributor Demo
Used Equipment
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Used equipment and brokers
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Warranty and return-policy
Internet – Photos
Trade it in
Add quality pieces over time
Used Equipment
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Donate Old Equipment
Operation Fit Kids
Maintenance
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Internal
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Cleanliness cannot be overemphasized
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External
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Don’t buy anything you can’t get repaired
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#1 reason people leave a club
Develop a maintenance checklist for part replacement
Can be useful, assuming you have major brands
Consider the amount of equipment you have
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Choose service provider with adequate resources
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Average club has 31 cardio, 81 free-weight stations, and 27
resistance stations (1994) (higher today due to larger club size)
Maintenance Contracts
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Plan to spend $100 to $500/month for external
contracts
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Consider using in-house personnel
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Investigate manufacturer parts availability
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Equipment is fixed faster and less expensive over time
Don’t buy obscure equipment
Preventative maintenance
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Can be worth thousands in parts and service if
done regularly
Recommendations
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Variety is Key
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Offers variety to workouts and
encourages results
(member-see progress=retention)
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Essential to both exerciser motivation and
member/client retention
Resources
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IHRSA.org
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SGMA.com
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First Fitness
Other Equipment
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Laundry
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Towel service?
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If so, buy a washer-extractor
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150 to 300 sq/ft for laundry room
Office Equipment
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Telephones, desks, computers, postage meters, faxes, printers, furniture,
copiers, file cabinets
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Can handle up to 125 pounds
Have been proven to be cost effective based on lack of breakdowns and efficiency
Factor in this equipment!
Locker-Room Equipment
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15 to 25 sq./ft. per person expected to be in locker area at any one time
No more than 15% of membership will be occupying locker room at once
Permanent lockers should be available to accommodate 75% of users
Daily use lockers should comprise the remaining
Locker rooms typically allocate 25% to 35% of total facility sq/ft
Showers should be available for up to 1% of membership (20 showers for
2000 members)
Other Equipment
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Fitness Testing
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120-180 sq/ft
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Counseling Room (PT)
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90-120 sq/ft
Lounge equipment/fitness charts
Seminar room
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Bike ergometer, skinfold calipers, anthropometric tapes, sit and reach box, BP
equipment, weight scales, desk & chair, office supplies, file cabinet
A/V Equipment – 20 sq/ft. per person
Tables & chairs
Gymnasium (50 x 84 feet) 5 feet around court for overrun
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Basketball goals, volleyball standards, scoreboards
Ceiling height must be at lease 22 feet
3 square feet per spectator for bench seating