Choosing Commercial Fitness Equipment vs Home

Choosing home or commercial fitness equipment

Are you developing a fitness center that will be used by multiple individuals, such as in a hotel or at a place of work? The addition of a commercial fitness center to your facility can have a positive impact. It shows that you are trying to provide an important benefit to your customers or employees, and indicates that you have an overall positive view of health and fitness. Understanding which pieces and what grade of exercise equipment to purchase is key to developing a winning solution.

The first step is determining who will be using the commercial fitness center:
- Will the facility be used by just a few people and larger group?
- Do they have similar fitness needs or a wide range?
- Will they be exercising at the same time or at different times of the day?
- What are their exercise goals – cardio, strength, both, or something specific?

The next step is determining your budget. Fitness centers that will be used by multiple people should be equipped with light commercial or full commercial grade exercise equipment. This equipment can be more expensive than home equipment, but it is designed with greater durability to withstand repeated use. It is better to spend a little extra up front than have to repeatedly repair or replace broken equipment that is being used beyond its intended limitations. If your fitness center will only be used by 2-3 people, and you have a tight budget, home equipment may suffice. Be aware, though, that some manufactures void their warranties when home equipment is used in a commercial setting.

Light grade commercial exercise equipment is intended for medium use, generally no more than 6 hours a day. If your facility will experience heavier use than that, you should opt for full commercial fitness equipment. It is important to pay attention to weight specifications when choosing equipment for a commercial fitness center. If members are heavy set or obese, it is important to choose equipment specifically designed to handle heavier weights.

The last step before beginning shopping is determining any space limitations. Do you have space for specialized machines or do you need compact exercise equipment that works multiple parts of the body? To ensure a comfortable workout environment, it is important to leave some space around machines. Fitness center members may also want some floor exercise space for working with free weights or doing exercises such as crunches.

Here are a few recommendations for equipment in a typical commercial fitness center.

Treadmill – Treadmills can provide a workout for people of all fitness levels from the casual walker to the full on runner. It offers varying degrees of difficulty and can be easily operated by the user to meet their changing needs and work out regimens.

Elliptical Cross Trainer– Elliptical trainers follow a similar motion to jogging, but with the added benefit of placing minimal strain on the back, knees, hips and ankles. They also work the upper body with a handle bar motion that mimics cross-country skiing. The low impact nature of these machines makes them an ideal option for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Stationary Bike – Exercise bikes can come in a variety of styles such as spinner, upright and recumbent models. Regardless of the style, these machines are compact in size and offer quality, low-impact exercise to users of all levels.

Weight Training Equipment – Free weights and resistance weight training equipment are a classic element of a complete commercial fitness weight training facility. These are preferred by those that are looking to tone and shape their muscles as well as by those looking to bulk up and add mass. A variety of specialized and multi-station gyms are available to choose from to meet different workout needs and any space limitations.

For more information on choosing equipment or a free custom quote, contact our fitness equipment experts.

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