What do you expect from a gym?
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What type of gym are you creating? Who is your target customer? It matters. Are you doing a pretty people flirt gym? A weights and boxing gym? A soccer mom gym? A high end wealthy gym? A low end circuit gym?1
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Cleanliness. Enforce re-racking weights. PLEASE. Make it a fine or something if people don't do it. I get that unloading someones multiple plates shouldn't be that hindering on my workout, but dammit... I didn't put the weight on, why do I have to waste my energy taking it off.
Also, don't allow shoulder shrugs or curling in the squat rack - provide plenty of spaces for people to do that in a designated rack. My favorite is when someone loads on the barbell - does 3 shoulder shrugs and walks away leaving all 270 pounds on it.
I can live with just about anything else... but not re-racking weights? It's a deal breaker. I smashed a finger by trying to clean up my lift area. Ended up tripping and rolling my ankle another time - granted... I might be clumsier than the average person. haha.2 -
just plenty of space to move around so I don't have to bump into people or get in the way or them get in my way when lifting.
This! I checked out 3 gyms before picking one and being able to work out without being crowded was a big factor for me. Additionally, hours that align with my work schedule (open later in the evening) and a supportive environment.1 -
I fired my old gym because they signed up more people than they could accommodate. It was a madhouse, with people waiting in line to access machines and equipment. FAIL.
People want cheap gym memberships that's the problem. So they have to sign up more members. not saying they wouldn't try to sign up as many as they could cause it's a business but they wouldn't have too and you would eliminate a lot of the people
The gym I fired had $50 per month memberships. The gym I replaced it with has $10 per month memberships and plenty of room to breathe...the only thing I miss is not being able to do yoga classes at the new place. Other than that, my new gym has everything I need minus the hassle of overcrowding.1 -
A clock on the wall in the changing room, so I can know at a glance* whether I need to finish getting changed in a huge rush, or whether I have plenty of time.
Two punchbags. Skipping ropes in a variety of fixed lengths. The adjustable ones just end up kinked in the middle and suitable for no-one, especially not us shorter folk.
*Phone is in locker.2 -
Doors on the showers, full stop. No one likes a "strange" (clean or not) shower curtain touching them. Hot water in the showers, not tepid, not hot then cold when someone else starts their shower. And I want it to be clean. I wear shower shoes, but I still want to think that I could get away taking them off without getting 8 types of fungus. I wouldn't, but I want to believe that I could be barefoot.
My current gym has a sauna in the locker room, and I am in LOVE with it, used it a ton this freezing cold winter.
Fractional plates in the 0.5-2 lbs sizes, so I can increase my overhead press at a safe (and reasonable) rate without having to buy and bring my own.3 -
What type of gym are you creating? Who is your target customer? It matters. Are you doing a pretty people flirt gym? A weights and boxing gym? A soccer mom gym? A high end wealthy gym? A low end circuit gym?
like ive already said, this isn't about what my gym will be, i simply wanted to know what people liked or didn't like about their gyms for some ideas...
but fine, here's some detail lol.
the gym will be geared towards people who are serious about fitness, specifically lifters, but there will be a little bit of everything. this will be no planet fitness type place.
there will be no pool, but some saunas. there will also be no childcare, but the childcare facility across the street is going to offer extremely discounted drop in visit fees for those with a membership.
the gym i currently go to is closing down at the end of the year, so a good number of their staff will be coming to work at ours, including the co-owner. they are all extremely intelligent and good looking (someone said that's a must). we will also have a nutritionist on staff (a good friend) to assist with diet plans.
the only other gyms in the general area are the Y, SnapFitness and Planet fitness, so we won't have much competition for the type of gym we will have.1 -
Clean showers, plenty of paper towels and spray available to clean machines before or after use (my gym rarely has the paper towel dispenser filled and it drives my nuts) and friendly staff.1
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toned_thugs_n_harmony wrote: »...there will also be no childcare, but the childcare facility across the street is going to offer extremely discounted drop in visit fees for those with a membership...
I don't have kids so I don't need it, but this is really cool.
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toned_thugs_n_harmony wrote: »What type of gym are you creating? Who is your target customer? It matters. Are you doing a pretty people flirt gym? A weights and boxing gym? A soccer mom gym? A high end wealthy gym? A low end circuit gym?
like ive already said, this isn't about what my gym will be, i simply wanted to know what people liked or didn't like about their gyms for some ideas...
but fine, here's some detail lol.
the gym will be geared towards people who are serious about fitness, specifically lifters, but there will be a little bit of everything. this will be no planet fitness type place.
there will be no pool, but some saunas. there will also be no childcare, but the childcare facility across the street is going to offer extremely discounted drop in visit fees for those with a membership.
the gym i currently go to is closing down at the end of the year, so a good number of their staff will be coming to work at ours, including the co-owner. they are all extremely intelligent and good looking (someone said that's a must). we will also have a nutritionist on staff (a good friend) to assist with diet plans.
the only other gyms in the general area are the Y, SnapFitness and Planet fitness, so we won't have much competition for the type of gym we will have.
Your childcare plan is awesome. I would MUCH rather leave my kids at an (assumable) accredited child care facility, with educated people vs. a place where someone takes a first aid course and then clears a security screen. I think the level of care would be greater at a place that is meant for exactly that. And honestly... I want someone who will change a diaper or whatever, so I don't have to interrupt what I'm doing, because it's "above the workers pay grade" or whatever BS.
Having access to a nutritionist is also awesome. Especially if it's included in the price of the membership (which would hopefully still be reasonable). I can't afford to hire one right now, so I've been using this place and IIFYM, where I am making my best guesses. But being able to sit down and layout my goals with someone with experience, in order for him/her to give me a tailored plan... that's invaluable. It takes the trial and error out, ensuring that I'm going to reach more goals more handily.0 -
My ideal gym wishlist:
*24/7 access with surveillance
* Spacious showers
* Complimentary organic shampoo/conditioner/moisturizer (big hit@Equinox
* Weekly/monthly locker rental
* Laundry service for gym attire@cost. Usually we leave used workout attire in lockers and it is placed clean in your locker the following day. Even footwear.
* Decent parking
* 4 lane lapping pool preferably not heated to ridiculous temps
* Free diving pool @decent depth 20 meters at least minimum
* Free weights section set apart from cardio machines with enough room to move. Always a body to body zone, compounded by cluttered setup.
* Stretching area
* Cybex machines
* Active childcare - fitness focused
* NO Dj Friday's PLEASE. Prefer my own music without having to hear that nonsense between sets.1 -
Love the childcare idea, spreads the wealth AND work around, and keeps the noise out of the gym too. No kids on any of the machines or running around.
Several cages, racks, and benches as said over and over. My work gym is gorgeous *swoons*. Very few people use the free weights. I can often set up one cage for safely bench pressing (full range over chest, safeties catch it 3-4 inches above my neck which scares the *kitten* out of people but works), one for squatting, and another bar on the deadlift platform. That still leaves one open. Extra collars (where do these go???), at least a few bumper plates, small weights... The 2.5lb ones are great but smaller is even better. Sometimes you just can't progress a lift 5lbs at a time, particularly but not just women. These washers are approximately 0.6lbs, allowing ~1.25lb increments. Never seen these at a gym, but I know several people that have purchased them including myself: https://www.mcmaster.com/#91081a046 They're also available at good hardware stores.
Lots of fans near the cardio equipment! Nothing better than your own fan if youre doing a run. I also really like Jacobs Ladder. Nice when you want full body cardio/something different: http://totalbodyexperts.com/jacobs-ladder-exclusive-biggest-loser-model.html.
Wifi.
Someone who knows how to do a caliper body fat reading. 1 free per month? A nice trainer used to do this for me if he was free and I loved it.
Water. More than one drinking fountain, or a drinking fountain and a water bottle filling station.
Another source of income, and seemed to get used a lot: vending machine mostly full of "health" foods/drinks. Mine had 2: power bars, gatorade, muscle milk, water....
Feminine products in the bathroom (for sale at least)..worst day ever...1 -
Oh yes. Please, please timetable for the sanitary bins in the women's toilets to be changed regularly.1
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VioletRojo wrote: »A scent free policy would be great. This is one reason I built my home gym, and I'm always surprised at the number of people who tell me they are also scent sensitive.
All gyms should have this!1 -
CLEAN!1
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I didnt read it all yet, but a few pieces of equipment our gym has that are a little different (compared to the other gyms on the area) and very popular are the variable rope pull, the curve manual treadmill, jacobs ladder machine, lateralx trainer, single spin bike with a virtual class.The free weight equipment, that is a given. The wipes for machines are plentiful and therefore used. I dont like the configuration of some of the equipment. When its actually in use at the same time with full range of motion, its like an inch between getting whacked or hoofed. Best of luck.0
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Oh, here's another thing. I don't know if this even exists (surely it must?) but I would love narrow bars, suitable for pull-ups. Generally, the bars are just too wide for me to get my delicate little laydee fingers around for a good grip. This may be a niche market, as I have smaller hands than the average woman. Cushioned/textured grips, like the pull down machines have, would be nice too. /wimp.
I've resorted to using climbing frames in playgrounds, because bars designed for children's hands are small enough for me to get a safe grip.
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Yes ... I listen to music on my phone, and watch the coverage of whatever cycling event is on while I'm running on the treadmill. And if the treadmills will let me, I hook up to them to download my stats.
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