What do you expect from a gym?

toned_thugs_n_harmony
toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
We recently bought a space to open up our own gym in late fall/winter 2017. Just curious what you would want/except from your gym? Classes, types of machines, etc. Things you wished you had, things you don't like about your gym...any and all input is much appreciated.

Also, anyone with an awesome name idea gets a special prize.
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Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    A deadlifting platform with bumper plates. Plenty of mirrors.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    Thats awesome, congrats! I also second a lot of love for the free weight section, racks and benches.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    How big of a space are you outfitting?
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    edited March 2017
    Squat racks, power rack, bumper plates, a wall of treadmills (b/c no matter how many there are...all seem to be full on the weekends); plenty of clips (those seem to go missing all of the time). If you want to get fancy, a competition bench (my gym finally bought one and hid it in a back room).

    ETA: Squat racks with adjustable safety catches; there's one with static catches no one uses at my gym.
  • bgh707
    bgh707 Posts: 164 Member
    We recently bought a space to open up our own gym in late fall/winter 2017. Just curious what you would want/except from your gym? Classes, types of machines, etc. Things you wished you had, things you don't like about your gym...any and all input is much appreciated.

    Also, anyone with an awesome name idea gets a special prize.

    Congratulations! To me, it depends on how much you're charging per month. If you're in the low range (e.g. planet fitness, blink), I would say that dumbbells in 2.5-5 lb increments from 2.5-~40 lb would be good, along with all of the standard cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, stair master, cross-trainer, spinning bikes etc.) I'm not a power lifter and I don't use any of the strength machines, so I can't provide much feedback there.

    If you're middle-end, I think that it makes sense to provide classes that don't require expensive equipment or certifications -- boot camp and any kind of HIIT being an example, along with stretching and regenerative classes

    If you're going higher-end, you should offer at least 5 classes a day and try to cater to a wide demographic. Think barre, yoga, HIIT, spinning, treadmill, kickboxing, etc.
  • Tracieisfitastic
    Tracieisfitastic Posts: 104 Member
    Plenty of Treadmills, Elliptical machines, stairs etc.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    edited March 2017
    Barbells (both stiff and deadlift) plus plates and bumpers
    GOOD collars for the barbells
    Dumbbells going in (max) increments of 5 lb up to 150 lb
    Several power cages
    At least two deadlift/Oly platforms
    Reverse hyper
    HGR bench
    Bench press benches
    Adjustable (both up and down) benches
    Leg press
    Cable Crossover
    Standalone cable station (with variable heights)
    Lat pull station
    Machine preacher curl
    Barbell preacher curl
    Straight and EX-curl bars (preferably where one could plate-load)
    Leg press
    Pec-Deck
    Blocks for block pulls
    At least a few of each: elliptical, rower, bike, and treadmill
    Rollers
    Various bands and chains
    Chalk, or at least a chalk bin where lifters could bring their own in
    Water fountain
    Showers

    And cleanliness

    eta: I fully agree to figure out what clientele you want to cater to. But the above is my list.
  • jbirdgreen
    jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
    edited March 2017
    I like plenty of cardio machines (elliptical, treadmill). Nothing worse than having to stand around and pretend to do something because all the machines are in use.

    I like a wide variety of free weights too -- Don't forget the lightweight ones (5-20 lbs) for those of us who aren't doing heavy lifts yet. A squat rack...a hex bar...leg press...A few benches -- mine only has one. :(.

    My gym has a section with mats laid out for people to stretch. I am a germaphobe so I would never use them, but I know there is always SOMEBODY using them. Mostly the older men, but still.

    I mostly go to my gym for the classes: Zumba and Spin...lifting class like BodyPump (I have always wanted to go, but my gym does it at a sucky time for me). Kickboxing for something different. I would love if my gym had like a switch week, where they completely change the schedule to let you try something different. The time I currently go to classes (5:35 p.m. weekdays, 2:00 p.m. on Sundays), is about the only time I can do it. So I miss out on all the other classes because my schedule isn't that flexible. Also, I wish the schedule made a little more sense at my gym. They only have two different classes on Sunday, and they are BOTH at the same time. I would totally do them back to back.






  • jbirdgreen
    jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
    I would LOVE if my gym had a barre class! They always put those studios on the rich side of town, and they are expensive. If my gym offered them in the current membership fee, I'd probably never leave.
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I think you need to figure out who your target demographic is going to be. The last couple of gyms I've belonged to have been very much geared towards people who are pretty serious about lifting, namely because that's my primary reason for going to a gym and I like doing Olympic lifts and whatnot...so it's been pretty important to me to find places that cater to that...but it's obviously not going to be everyone's cup o' tea.

    Exactly. If I were going to join a gym, I'd want a strong focus on free weights. I have no need of treadmills, stationary bikes, or ellipticals. I'd have no interest in classes, except perhaps an introductory lifting class. But that's me, because I do my cardio on the road.
  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    How big of a space are you outfitting?

    it will be about 3500 square feet to begin.
  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    geared towards people who are serious about their fitness. Not exactly a planet fitness type place...but there will be something there for everyone.

    There will also be plenty of free weights, squat racks and benches because that's what most people who will use our gym want, but thought it might be interesting to see what things other people either love or hate about their gym.

  • BootCampC
    BootCampC Posts: 689 Member
    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.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Any gym I will ever belong to will have an Olympic platform for Oly lifts and dead-lifts.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited March 2017
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    How big of a space are you outfitting?

    it will be about 3500 square feet to begin.

    In that case, IMO as others have suggested, what is your target market/focus? Are you the only gym in a small town? An Orange Theory fitness franchise requires 2600-3600 commercial square feet which isn't real big. You are not going to have room for a cardio area, free weights, weight machines, classes, etc.
  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Any gym I will ever belong to will have an Olympic platform for Oly lifts and dead-lifts.

    thats a given.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    Heavy ropes, tires and plyo boxes as well.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    geared towards people who are serious about their fitness. Not exactly a planet fitness type place...but there will be something there for everyone.

    There will also be plenty of free weights, squat racks and benches because that's what most people who will use our gym want, but thought it might be interesting to see what things other people either love or hate about their gym.

    If you already plan to have something for everyone, you've answered your own question with regards to equipment.
    A clean bathroom/locker room is always a good thing.
    Knowledgeable trainers (if you choose to have any at all)
    Good lighting, not too bright, but not dreary
    An open mind to all forms of training(KB, barbell, bodyweight, etc)
  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    maybe i should have written that out differently.

    i am NOT asking what i should be doing at MY gym. I am simply asking what things you'd expect or want out of a gym or what things you like/dislike about your current gym.

  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    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.

    You are the second person to tell me this. I mean, it's not gonna happen (LOL) but I guess i never realized how many people are sensitive to scents.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Any gym I will ever belong to will have an Olympic platform for Oly lifts and dead-lifts.

    thats a given.

    Oh, I wish it were...took me awhile to find a gym (that wasn't a CF box) that not only allows Olympic lifting, but also encourages it.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    Adequate free weights so that I don't have to wait during non-peak periods: rack, bench, dumbbells, etc.
    Hammer strength machines
    Early hours - at least 5 AM
  • toned_thugs_n_harmony
    toned_thugs_n_harmony Posts: 1,001 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Any gym I will ever belong to will have an Olympic platform for Oly lifts and dead-lifts.

    thats a given.

    Oh, I wish it were...took me awhile to find a gym (that wasn't a CF box) that not only allows Olympic lifting, but also encourages it.

    one of the main reasons why we are opening our own.
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
    I'd like a 24HR Facility, an Ohio Power Bar, Competition Spec'd Bench, a Squat Rack with Safeties but narrow enough to not pinball when I unrack, and a deadlift platform WITH a jack. Please be chalk friendly and update your playlist to play more than the same 40 songs all day long.

    Also, name it Training ON Improvement (TONI's)
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited March 2017
    Assuming you're not a niche gym...

    I expect a good array of equipment - some cardio machines, some plate-loaded machines, some free-weight racks/stations, and some functional training areas. I expect a place to stretch. I expect it to be clean and safe. I expect hours that work for people who work normal jobs. I expect the staff to re-rack weights when/as needed. I expect the staff to be smart enough to help when asked, and to keep their mouth shut when appropriate.

    Beyond that, it's on me to make the most of the gym.
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