Your gym is now open! Residents have moved in and ditched their external gym membership; but how do you ensure they don’t go back?
Gyms are ever-evolving spaces that have to react to a range of elements, such as member requirements, changing fitness trends, and health and safety guidelines.
If you’re unsure as to your next steps, here are some tips to help you make sure your gym is a healthy and popular space for residents.
Tip 1: Don’t fence me in
There is always the temptation to squeeze as much equipment into a gym as possible. If you’re thinking you could probably add another treadmill or elliptical, then pause and consider whether this is viable or not.
All equipment, including free weights, must have clear floor space all around to allow people to get on and off cardio machines or drop weights without injuring themselves or others.
Ignoring this could put a resident at risk of injury, for which you could be held liable with a further penalty if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) deem the space unsafe.
To make sure your gym is adhering to guidelines, it’s always worth consulting with professionals who can help advise on gym design and equipment placement. If you do feel you need more machines or weights for members, then there may be ways to achieve this through changes in layout.
“Accidents will unfortunately happen in a gym & spa facility but it is the management of those accidents which is key. Quick reactions from the first responder and being able to summon assistance easily will play a pivotal role in a positive outcome.”
Rob Clarke – motive8 Head of Operations
Tip 2: Equipment deep clean
It doesn’t take long for a shiny new gym to become worn, and, shall we say, ‘well-loved’, so make sure you deep-clean the space on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, with a general clean every day.
A general clean should include wiping benches, matts and seats with antibacterial cleaner, as well as weights and flooring. A deep clean means washing down all equipment, cleaning the knurling on weights and ensuring corners and areas under cardio equipment are all dust and germ free.
If you’re unsure about changing worn equipment, such as a torn mat, they will collect bacteria, so always replace. There are ranges of harder-wearing mats, so it’s always worth investing in good quality floorwork accessories to ensure a better ROI.
Gyms are highly bacterial spaces, so it’s really important to make sure it remains a healthy place, which is its intended purpose after all!
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Tip 3: Is it Instagram-worthy?
A good-looking gym will get shares on social media and will raise the profile of your property. If you’re looking for new tenants, especially if you’ve just completed a build, then this is great publicity.
This does mean the gym space needs to look great at all times. Regular cleans will help with this, but it’s always worth considering social media in the design. Great looking wall decals or motivational colour schemes always help a space look Instagram-ready, like this!
A beautiful residential gym can encourage shares and likes on social media.
Tip 4: ‘Always-on’ budget
A great-looking and fully functioning gym is a constant work in progress. They are not ‘fit and forget’ spaces, especially if they are in constant use, as equipment is subject to wear and tear.
When looking at budgets for your gym, always make sure you have a pot set aside for ongoing maintenance and updates. Gyms that fall prey to the ‘fit and forget’ approach will result in broken-down or outdated equipment, which will almost certainly stop being used, not to mention make residents feel resentful paying a management fee for its use.
If you don’t want to incur additional costs by hiring a gym manager or run the risk of overloading the building manager, then maintenance is always worth outsourcing. This can reduce hiring costs and bring about better long-term ROI.
Tip 5: Make sure the gym actually works
Not only is ongoing gym equipment maintenance important, but regular servicing of equipment is also vital. Cardio machines take a lot of pounding, quite literally, so they do need to function well at all times. Getting a solid gym maintenance contract is a great idea.
“Planned preventative maintenance on all aspects of a gym & spa facility is hugely important to ensure the safe running of the facility. A service contract on gym equipment in a semi-commercial environment should be quarterly, especially after the equipment has been in situ for a few years,” says motive8’s Head of Operations, Rob Clarke.
Equipment servicing involves more in-depth testing to ensure it is performing at its best. An engineer will look ‘under the bonnet’ to test cables and wiring, as well as the general mechanics of the machines to see if all is working as it should.
What is particularly important about a service is that it ensures all equipment lasts longer and runs consistently well. If you’ve made an investment in a gym, then regular service and maintenance will ensure a better return.
For example, if you want to update equipment, then you can always sell existing stock to help pay for your upgrade, but this can only by done if it is regularly serviced, has a full service history and is fully fit and safe to use.
As we see it, a gym is for life and not just for the short-term duration to attract tenants. It will also give you a great return in the long run. Why not drop us a line and find out more.
Contact us on 0800 028 0198 for more information.
