Starting a gym can be complicated. Instinctively, launching a health club seems simple: equipment + passion = success, right? True, but gyms also involve people, liability, capital investments, promotions, regulations, and expenses. Juggling all this is where success is achieved. The following blog is a short overview of four of the most significant responsibilities affecting your new company. Below the blog, we’ve included helpful links for research and assistance. Four tasks every gym owner faces: Insurance coverageCapital equipment purchasesMarketing expensesEmployee management 1. Required insurance coverage: General liability Commercial propertyProfessional liabilityWorkers’ Comp Although the cost of insurance varies widely based on the size [...]
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Opening a new gym can be really stressful. You’ve put a ton of money into this new business and now it’s time to switch on the lights and hope members sign up fast enough to cover mounting bills. But it does not have to be that way. Established gyms know the best way to promote a new location is Pre-sales. This simple idea takes the pressure off opening day and provides much-needed cash for final construction snafus. What are gym membership pre-sales? These are sold prior to your fitness center’s opening. Marketed through social media or an advertising campaign, this [...]
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Choosing which equipment to stock in your gym is one of the many huge decisions you must make as a business owner. Especially when your budget and floor space are limited, the pressure is on to make your selections carefully. This week, we'll be looking at some of the pros and cons of popular cardio equipment, so you can evaluate them based on your own priorities. Treadmills Regarded as of the most ubiquitous cardio machines out there, treadmills are popular for a reason. Running (or even walking) in and of itself is a fantastic, effective cardio workout that the majority [...]
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Don Roberts’ Fit 24/7 Gym keeps things simple. His gym does not boast a sauna, day care, or exercise classes. Customers know to follow the rules or get kicked out. And his club is open every day, 24 hours a day, frequently without a single employee on premise. Stripped bare of any extras and run entirely by himself, his 550-member facility in Durango, Colorado, has been profitable — very profitable, he insists — from day one. The key to making money is minimal expenses and 24 hour access. The advantage of 24-hour gyms In a time when nearly 20 percent of gyms closed permanently [...]
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Not all equipment manufacturers are the same! Top Product Brands for Fitness Facilities Fitness is an important aspect of our everyday lives. It is imperative for people to realize that fitness helps to keep our body strong and immune to health problems. Lack of fitness greatly reduces a person's life expectancy and increases the chances of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other health problems. This is why many gyms and health clubs are reaching out to new customers by offering the best trainers and fitness equipment that will aide in reducing weight and increasing strength. Which is the [...]
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Should you buy or lease commercial gym equipment? Should I buy or lease gym equipment for my business? The decision to buy or lease commercial gym equipment depends on the amount of capital you have and your tax situation. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Leasing allows you to change out fitness equipment every few years while incurring lower maintenance costs, and payments are generally deductible as a business expense. It is also easier to obtain leases than equipment loans. They may, however, cost your health club more money in the long-term. New gym equipment loans though, now [...]
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There are many advantages to buying used fitness equipment. Used or previously owned commercial fitness equipment can be purchased for less than one-third the cost of new gym equipment. Since most gym equipment is made up of easily replaceable parts and rarely breaks, there is little risk for owners. Most importantly, new health clubs can pay off used equipment faster, making it easier for their businesses to quickly reach profitability. Every gym member uses some type of exercise equipment Previous posts, like “To Buy or To Lease Gym Equipment? That is the question…” and “Top Ten Ways to Save Money When Opening a [...]
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It's not always easy to know which equipment you need to stock in your gym right off the bat. Some gyms operate under strict financial constraints, while others have smaller indoor spaces than they'd ideally like. In a perfect world, of course, you would be able to start with the most essential equipment and then expand to include more as your business also expands. But where do you start? What are the essentials? And if you have to choose between a high-quality barbell cage, smith machine, or leg press machine to fill out your "lower body" equipment section, what's the [...]
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Perhaps the most iconic and famous weightlifting move known to beginners and advanced lifters alike, the bench press is another compound movement you will assuredly see members performing in your gym. As with each other movement in the exercise series, knowing the proper form and equipment your gym patrons will need in order to stay safe and healthy puts you ahead of the game in terms of being able to provide a quality experience for your members. Benefits The bench press is known for sculpting fit and strong upper bodies. Chiseled pectoral muscles and bigger arms are the main draws [...]
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Like the lifts we've covered in the exercise series so far, the barbell row is another weightlifting movement that often causes gym owners some anxiety. It's a compound movement done with heavy barbells that carries a risk of serious injury when done improperly. It can be tempting to outlaw or restrict exercises like this in your gym out of the fear of injuries and liability issues. However, barbell rows, just like squats, deadlifts, and other major compound movements, are so incredibly beneficial to most exercisers that you would be doing your gym members a disservice by banning them altogether. In [...]
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Summer 2019 Professional Fitness Equipment Like all of the other trends in the world, the fitness industry is splitting to extremes. On one end, it's all simple things that promote core strength and resistance training. On the other, it's the technology that pushes the envelope. Not to worry, Gym Insight is here to sort the trendy tools from yesterday's devices. Fitness is, after all, a niche in the consumer marketplace. It branches into segments and subdivisions based on demographics and income levels. So, Let's look at those trends or at least, point to authoritative sources about them. Opposing Trends in [...]
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Gym equipment is evolving rapidly, and we see some highly innovative designs coming down the line. New machines and systems match physical activity and data science to improve the workout experience. I think we can expect to see some amazing new gym equipment products emerging in the next few years. The company I'm writing about here, Tonal, might be one of them if it can be successful with its recently launched fitness system. As Described by This Week In Startups A recent posting by Jason Calacanis on his podcast, This Week in Startups is an interview with the founder of [...]
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The new technologies of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are set to change the fitness industry if the current trend continues. Both VR and AR have threatened to do something interesting for years now. But this time the promise might turn into VR products that consumers can use. Your gym members may soon demand fitness equipment that allows them to connect to digitally rendered worlds and games while they work out. Digital devices and smartphones have changed the way consumers use technology; they don't think twice about exploring and testing new apps. Keeping up with your neighbor means having the [...]
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6 Best Gym Machines for Beginners to Use Gym equipment is divided into gym machines and free weights. For beginner use, it is advisable that you work with gym machines first. Right about everyone wants to look younger, have an amazing body, as well as great skin. To meet these objectives, it is important that your gym is equipped with the best machines. This is more so if you are attending to beginners who are fragile and need a stepping-stone. Gym machines come in handy in offering a variety of exercises. While it is important to incorporate the use of [...]
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This is another article that takes a look at a particular brand in the gym business. I haven't been asked to write these and I don't receive any payment from them. This is just my attempt to put the gym management business in context and to spread a little knowledge and insight into what's going on, and why it might be interesting to gym owners. As always, your comments are welcome. There is always room in the fitness marketplace for creative and exciting ways to keep the membership interested and coming back for more. The New York born and bred [...]
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