To the Gym Owner who wants to Push Boundaries
To the Gym Owner who wants to Push Boundaries
So, you want to give a Robust Workout?
You know the old saying: no two gyms look the same. Except wait, you probably don’t, because no one has ever said that before.
These days it seems every gym or workout facility you step into is a carbon copy of one another. You see a couple of treadmills, a rack of dumbbells, a stationary bike, and maybe an elliptical (if you should be so lucky) but where is the rest of it!!?
At 1SourceFitness, we’re asking the same question. How come every gym is so blah?
If you want to give your customers a workout routine that’s anything but routine, you need to be different. Otherwise, they’ll take their business down the street.
In this post, we’ll discuss pieces of equipment that most gyms are lacking broken down by muscle groups, so your gym can give the most unique workout on the block, from head to toe.
We Want to Pump you up.
As every gym owner knows, building arm muscle is at the top of nearly any exercise aficionado’s list. But what pieces of equipment should you target?
You probably already have dumbbells and a cable pulley machine, but if not, those are standard.
Rowing machine
To take it a step further, consider investing in a rowing machine or two. It’s hard to find a good endurance workout for the arms and upper body (arm exercises tend to be more explosive and less perseverance) but a rowing machine fits that niche. Not only do rowing machines give you a shot in the arm, but they also benefit the body’s core to help you sculpt your abs and burn fat.
Chest Press Machine
Let’s be honest: while the bench press is a great chest workout, it can be quite dangerous without a spotter.
A chest press machine is a great way to target the same muscle groups without the risk. It mimics the motion of a pushup and is especially beneficial to those who are new to working out and may not be strong enough to bust out ten or more pushups.
Lat Pull-Down Machine
This machine targets a muscle group so often missed: the back. More specifically the Latissimus Dorsi (for our purposes called the lat).
Positioning yourself in a seated position, the lat pull-down machine allows you to set your own weight and then pull a bar down in front of your face. It gives you access to a difficult-to-target area and provides a variation to the bicep-tricep-pec trap that so many fall into.
A Leg to Stand on
While treadmills and stationary bikes are great for endurance-based and workouts, it can be hard to find machines that provide a little more intensity. But what equipment is best to give your customers a more complete workout?
Horizontal Seated Leg Press
This machine works every muscle in the leg from the glutes to the calves. Some models allow the user to lift a combination of their own weight and weighted plates, while others only allow the user to lift plates. Either way works and allows the user to focus on strength training.
Leg Extension Curling Machine
This is a great piece of equipment for any gym to have but is yet somehow criminally underused. This machine works the muscles of the thigh and comes in two varieties: a downward curl which works the hamstrings and an upward curl which works the top of the thigh.
More for the Core
As we said earlier a rowing machine is one of the best exercises for the core muscles, but why stop there? There are several (and relatively cheap) pieces of equipment you can buy to give your gym-goers something besides crunches to sculpt their abs.
Hanging Leg Raise
This piece of equipment allows the user to hang in place while slowly raising the legs. There are two methods of proper use: either the user can extend their legs straight outwards so their hips form a ninety-degree angle, or they can lift their knees to the chest. Both methods target the core muscles as well as the hip flexors (another sorely neglected area) and provide a different type of workout. Just make sure you give the equipment a wide berth, so no one gets kicked!
The Roman Chair
Not only will this piece of equipment strengthen your core, but it will also help with your lower back. A strong lower back is key to building core strength (and keeping yourself from getting hurt). The Roman Chair places its user at an inversed angle, like an upside-down sit-up, and gives your gym a different, totally unique look.
Let’s Cool Down
It’s true, there are far too many gyms which look almost exactly the same. You want your customers to feel like they’re getting every advantage they can and the best way to do this is by having a wide variety of unique gym equipment.
If you want to break out from the standard, boring old carbon-copy gym model, schedule an appointment with 1SourceFitness. Nowhere else will you find the expansive selection and expertise to take your gym to the next level.