The Five Laws of Creating a Great Fitness Experience with Life Fitness
Customer experience is one of the hottest topics in the fitness industry.
Throughout the sector, health clubs recognise that to win new members – converting them first into fans, and then into advocates – every aspect of the gym experience needs to be meaningfully tailored to their needs. Even when the user is not yet sure what those needs might be.
And it’s not just about loyalty. Various studies1 have shown that, overwhelmingly, customers are willing to pay higher prices if it means they feel valued and cared for.
Therefore, the fitness industry needs to purposely think about how to deliver meaningful customer experiences. Great experiences do not happen by chance. They happen because a company has a deep understanding of the customers’ needs and expectations, and has the right processes and culture to deliver that great experience.
The customer experience needs to be designed and prepared. In this process, it is useful to break down the experience into five key components for health club owners to think about.
THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS
The structure underpinning a great gym experience needs to consider the following:
The Product
In the fitness industry, the “product” is the actual exercise methodology that the health club offers. It’s essential to tailor the product to the likely client base, understanding your customer and their needs and offering them a unique and bespoke experience. This should incorporate the following (but isn’t it isn’t limited to them!):
- Exercise programs
- Routines
- Strategies to deliver specific outcomes
- Equipment that can support even the most demanding workouts.
Refining the product is what creates the differences between a fitboxing boutique, a bodybuilding gym, or a traditional health club. It is the very first step to start planning the experience.
One good example of a well-defined fitness product is Orangetheory Fitness, a company with a very specific product for very specific needs: personalised, high-intensity group training, based on science and powered by technology.
The Relationships
In a fitness centre, human connections exist between everyone taking part in the experience: between members, instructors, and staff. Relationships can even be created between the customer and the brand! Creating a strong social circle can be one of the best ways to improve member retention and increase motivation.
Therefore, the experience planning process needs to consider what type of relationships should happen in the health club. Should instructors proactively connect with members? Should the club organise activities to provoke member connections? Should the club stay on the side and let members create informal connections on their own? It all depends on the experience to be delivered for members.
There are certain questions gyms should be asking themselves:
- Should the club promote new connections? If so, how?
- What type of relationships do the members expect to have?
- How do you motivate people?
- Who is the authority during a workout?
- How frequently should you communicate with your members?
The Facility
The facility is where the magic happens. Surroundings not only enhance mood but can also affect behaviour. The various spaces of a fitness centre need to be carefully designed to help deliver the experience along the member’s journey.
And that goes beyond some fancy neon lights. Designing a fitness space is a complex process that involves many decisions, from selecting the right equipment to having the right smell.
The smallest details can make a difference. A good starting point is to think about:
- What are the limitations in the space you have?
- What equipment should you be using?
- How should the equipment be placed?
- What type of lighting should you have?
- Should you have music?
- How will people move around the facility?
- How should the centre smell?
In today’s competitive world, design expectations are higher. While the best possible fitness equipment is a given if you want to attract and retain members, it’s also important to remember that people feel valued when their surroundings make them feel good. When designing the fitness space, having the right inspiration can take your idea to the next level. At Life Fitness, we call this Gymspiration.
The Processes
As we said, great experiences do not happen by chance. They depend on a series of carefully planned processes in which players from every level of a business take part.
In this key component of an experience, strategies, processes and company culture become the pillars of consistently delivering a good experience.
There are several things to think about when planning these processes.
- Does the company have the right culture?
- Do employees understand their contribution to the experience?
- Are there clear strategies to deliver the experiences?
- Does the company have the right feedback channels to understand which processes need improvement?
Doing a deep dive into your members’ preferences will not only reveal which processes are required, but also what their expectations are.
For example, member onboarding is a well-known process for every fitness facility. However, there is not just a single way to deliver that. The perfect onboarding process for an advanced lifter might be very short: a small tour around the facility. But the perfect onboarding process for a newcomer might require a body composition analysis, followed by a personal training session and a 15-day follow-up to see how they are progressing.
The key to delivering the right experience is to understand member expectations, and create processes based on them.
The Technology
Last but not least, technology is the fifth component of our fitness experience model. Technology refers to the tools, software and gadgets that enable all the other components to shine.
The right level of digitalisation will depend on the members preferences and expectations. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here. For example, a site may decide that to deliver their perfect experience, they need colour-changing lights, HR monitoring, and a member app to book classes. Modern digital tools are ideal to create new connections, motivate members or increase the operational efficiency of your site.
However, another site may decide that the perfect experience for their members is purely analogical and human-based, with very little technology that only facilitates a couple of processes (reservations and availability).
Technology needs to be applied with a clear purpose; it needs to be a means to an end.
In Conclusion...
Deconstructing every fitness offering using these five components allows us to look at the gym experience in a more strategic way. By analysing each of the pillars, you can open new paths for innovation in, and improvements to, every aspect of the customer experience at your facility.
- Published in HAMMER STRENGTH, LIFE FITNESS, NEWS
Why the world’s best rugby players choose Hammer Strength!
Evolve Fitness, the official gym equipment partner of the Sharks Rugby team in South Africa, understands the importance of high-quality strength training equipment for elite athletes. That’s why they choose Hammer Strength, the industry-leading brand founded by Gary Jones since 1989.
Hammer Strength revolutionized strength training by simplifying the biomechanics of lifting weights and matching machine movement to human motion. Their equipment is rugged, durable, and designed to withstand intense workouts, making it the perfect choice for elite athletes like the Sharks Rugby team.
From heavy-duty racks and rigs to benches and selectorized equipment, Hammer Strength offers a wide variety of tools for endless training possibilities. They continue to innovate and lead the fitness industry, ensuring that their equipment is built to a higher standard.
But Hammer Strength isn’t just built to last, it’s built to perform. Their equipment is tested to exceed industry standards, ensuring that it can hold up to years of even the most intense training programs. That’s why Hammer Strength is the number one brand for elite athletes and why Evolve Fitness is proud to be their official distributor.
10 Benefits of using Hammer Strength in High Performance Centers for world class athletes!
- Biomechanically correct movement: Hammer Strength equipment is designed to match human motion, reducing the risk of injury and promoting efficient muscle activation.
- Durable construction: Hammer Strength equipment is built to withstand intense training, making it ideal for high-performance centers.
- Variety of equipment: Hammer Strength offers a wide variety of equipment, including heavy-duty racks and rigs, benches, selectorized equipment, and accessories, providing endless training possibilities.
- Results-driven design: Hammer Strength equipment is designed to provide results, making it an essential tool for world-class athletes.
- Proven track record: Hammer Strength has a proven track record of success, with numerous professional and Olympic athletes relying on their equipment.
- Proprietary technology: Hammer Strength is constantly innovating and developing proprietary technology to improve the performance of their equipment.
- High-quality materials: Hammer Strength uses high-quality materials to ensure their equipment is built to last.
- Industry-leading standards: Hammer Strength equipment is tested to exceed industry standards, ensuring it can hold up to even the most intense training programs.
- Worldwide availability: Hammer Strength equipment is available in gyms and training centers around the world, making it accessible to athletes of all levels.
- Trusted by professionals: Hammer Strength is the preferred brand of many professional sports teams, including the Sharks Rugby team, making it a trusted choice for high-performance centers.
Hammer Strength products for high performance centers!
Hammer Strength offers a wide variety of equipment for high-performance centers, including:
- Plate-loaded equipment: Hammer Strength plate-loaded equipment includes strength training machines that mimic the natural movement patterns of the human body. This allows athletes to train specific muscle groups while reducing the risk of injury.
- Racks and rigs: Hammer Strength racks and rigs are built to withstand intense training and are perfect for high-performance centers. They are designed to accommodate a wide range of exercises and accommodate multiple users at once.
- Benches: Hammer Strength benches are built to withstand heavy loads and intense use. They are available in various styles such as flat, incline, decline and Olympic lifting benches.
- Selectorized equipment: Hammer Strength selectorized equipment offers a variety of strength training options for athletes. These machines provide precise resistance and are designed for ease of use and safety.
- Accessories: Hammer Strength also offers a wide variety of accessories such as weight plates, bars, collars, and other attachments that can be used to customize strength training routines.
- Heavy-duty Cardio Equipment: Hammer Strength offers heavy-duty cardio equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes that are designed to withstand intense use, making them perfect for high-performance centers.
All of these Hammer Strength products are built to withstand heavy use and intense training, making them perfect for high-performance centers. They are also designed to provide results and improve the performance of athletes.
In conclusion, Hammer Strength is the preferred brand of many professional sports teams and high-performance centers around the world. Their equipment is designed to match human motion, reducing the risk of injury while promoting efficient muscle activation. The equipment is also built to withstand intense training and provide results, making it the perfect choice for athletes and high-performance centers.
If you are looking for top-of-the-line strength training equipment for your athletes or high-performance center, contact Evolve Fitness, the official gym equipment partner of the Sharks Rugby team in South Africa. They offer a wide variety of Hammer Strength equipment and can help you customize a training program to meet the specific needs of your athletes. Trust Evolve Fitness and Hammer Strength to help your athletes and high-performance center reach their full potential.
Contact Evolve Fitness to RAISE THE BAR in your High Performance Center!
- Published in HAMMER STRENGTH, LIFE FITNESS, NEWS
Creating a Bespoke Wellness Experience for Hotel Guests: Tips and Tricks 2023!
Hello and welcome to Evolve Fitness. Today, we’re going to talk about how to ensure your guests have an enjoyable in-room wellbeing experience.
In a post-pandemic world, the average hotel and gym guest’s profile has changed. People want a more bespoke experience, more control, and minimal disruption. So, how can you incorporate this into your offer?
One way is to offer fitness products and brands that travel with their customers. As fitness routines have become a daily lifestyle component for many of us during the pandemic, it’s important to ensure your guests have access to the facilities they’re used to on their travels. This includes workout tracking, on-demand training, and daily workout suggestions for those guests who want to continue their wellbeing journey throughout their stay.
More and more hotels are starting to offer in-room equipment, such as treadmills, exercise bikes, dumbbells, and exercise balls. Some hotels are even offering “work-in, work-out” promotions featuring second adjoining rooms set up as working or gym facilities, with virtual training services. The Hilton’s Five Feet to Fitness concept blends the traditional hotel room with a fitness center, offering 11 different equipment and accessory options, along with a touch-screen display with bespoke exercise tutorials to guide guests through workout routines. Kempinski hotels have introduced “fit rooms”, upgraded suites in select hotels that come complete with in-room workout solutions and on-demand fitness services, as well as personal guided sessions with a virtual trainer, accessed via a QR code.
It’s important to know your demographic well to determine what you offer to guests and what difference it will make to their stay and their likelihood of returning. If your guest profile represents business travelers who want to maintain their daily workout routine, then in-room equipment could be worth the investment. If your core demographic is leisure travelers who prefer a trip to the on-site facilities and keep their room for sleeping and relaxing, then the emphasis must go elsewhere.
If you don’t have the budget to offer additional in-room facilities or high-tech-enabled equipment, there are other ways to ensure the in-room experience is geared towards optimum wellbeing. The in-room offer doesn’t have to include physical fitness equipment, but the simple addition of mindfulness, meditation, and basic stretching exercises on the room TV is a cost-effective way to improve the wellbeing experience. You could also include recommendations for fitness apps or nearby walking routes and include different types of cushions or weighted blankets.
The wellbeing offer doesn’t just extend to corporeal fitness. On the room service menu, offer a good mix of organic and local produce where possible as well as flagging up available healthier options or offering niche extras such as protein drinks for the more dedicated fitness fans.
However, an in-room wellbeing experience is an ongoing one and cannot be delivered in a silo. Only by aligning all aspects of your organization in the wellbeing philosophy will you be able to ensure your guests get the experience they have come to expect and will keep them singing your praises and coming back for more.
10 point guide: How to improve your guest wellness offering.
- Offer in-room fitness equipment: Provide guests with equipment such as treadmills, exercise bikes, dumbbells, and exercise balls to help them maintain their daily workout routine during their stay.
- Virtual training services: Provide guests with virtual training services to help them access workout tutorials and training sessions.
- Mindfulness and meditation: Offer guests in-room mindfulness and meditation exercises to help them relax and unwind during their stay.
- Walking routes and fitness apps: Provide guests with recommendations for local walking routes and fitness apps that can help them stay active during their stay.
- Room service menu: Offer guests a good mix of organic and local produce on the room service menu to help them maintain a healthy diet during their stay.
- Niche extras: Offer guests niche extras such as protein drinks for the more dedicated fitness fans.
- Wellness-oriented amenities: Provide guests with wellness-oriented amenities such as weighted blankets and different types of cushions to help them sleep better at night.
- Personalized services: Offer guests personalized services such as personal guided sessions with a virtual trainer, accessed via a QR code.
- Align your organization with the wellness philosophy: Ensure that all aspects of your organization are aligned with the wellness philosophy to ensure guests get the experience they have come to expect.
- Know your demographic: Understand your guests’ demographic and tailor your wellness offerings to meet their needs and preferences.
How to improve revenue with a new modern wellness solution:
- Upselling: Offer guests the opportunity to upgrade to rooms or suites that feature modern wellness solutions, such as in-room fitness equipment or virtual training services, for an additional cost.
- Package deals: Create package deals that include modern wellness solutions as part of the room rate, such as access to virtual training services or in-room fitness equipment.
- Spa and wellness services: Offer guests spa and wellness services, such as massages, yoga classes, or personal training sessions, for an additional cost.
- Partner with fitness and wellness brands: Partner with fitness and wellness brands to offer guests exclusive deals and promotions.
- Day passes: Offer non-guests the opportunity to purchase day passes to access the hotel’s modern wellness solutions, such as the gym or virtual training services.
- Rent out equipment: Rent out the in-room equipment to guests for a fee, such as a treadmill or exercise bike.
- Create events and workshops: Host events and workshops, such as fitness classes or wellness retreats, and charge guests a fee to attend.
- Offer meal plans: Offer guests healthy meal plans, such as juice cleanses or gluten-free options, for an additional cost.
- Promote wellness offerings: Promote the hotel’s modern wellness solutions on social media and other marketing channels to attract guests who are looking for a wellness-focused vacation.
- Monitor and adjust: Continuously monitor the popularity and revenue of the wellness offering and adjust accordingly to ensure maximum revenue and guest satisfaction.
Creating a unique customer experience for wellness in hotels
Creating a unique customer experience for wellness in hotels is important to provide guests with a personalized and memorable experience. This can be achieved by understanding the customer’s wellness journey and tailoring the offerings to meet their needs and preferences.
- Assess customer needs: Assess the needs of the customer by understanding their fitness level, dietary restrictions, and wellness goals. This information can be gathered through pre-arrival surveys or during check-in.
- Personalized wellness plans: Create personalized wellness plans for guests based on their needs and preferences. This can include custom workout plans, meal plans, and spa treatments.
- Engage with guests: Engage with guests throughout their stay by providing them with regular check-ins, feedback, and suggestions to ensure they are getting the most out of their wellness experience.
- Create a wellness community: Create a wellness community among guests by organizing group activities, such as yoga classes or fitness challenges, to encourage social interaction and motivation.
- Use technology: Incorporate technology into the wellness experience by providing guests with access to virtual training services, fitness tracking apps, or online classes.
- Create a wellness-oriented atmosphere: Create a wellness-oriented atmosphere throughout the hotel by incorporating elements such as natural lighting, calming music, and aromatherapy.
- Offer unique experiences: Offer unique experiences, such as outdoor fitness classes, nature walks, or guided meditations, to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind wellness experience.
- Provide education and resources: Provide guests with educational resources and information about wellness, such as healthy recipes, workout tips, or relaxation techniques.
- Follow up with guests: Follow up with guests after their stay to gather feedback and assess the effectiveness of the wellness experience. Use this feedback to improve future offerings.
- Customize and adapt: Continuously customize and adapt the wellness offerings to keep up with the latest trends and to provide guests with a unique and memorable experience.
By understanding and tailoring to the customer wellness journey, hotels can create a unique and memorable experience that will make guests want to return again and again.
In conclusion, Life Fitness equipment is the perfect option for hotel gyms looking to improve their wellness offerings to guests. With a wide range of equipment options, from treadmills and exercise bikes to strength training equipment, Life Fitness provides hotels with the opportunity to create a comprehensive wellness experience for guests. Additionally, Life Fitness equipment is known for its durability and longevity, making it a wise investment for hotels looking to improve their gym offerings.
Furthermore, Life Fitness offers a variety of features such as workout tracking, on-demand training, and daily workout suggestions that can help guests continue their wellness journey throughout their stay. This aligns perfectly with the trend of guests wanting more control and a more bespoke experience.
In addition, Life Fitness equipment is designed with the user in mind, which makes it easy to use, comfortable, and safe. It also offers a wide range of resistance and weight options, providing the perfect solution for guests of all fitness levels.
Incorporating Life Fitness equipment into hotel gyms can help hotels improve their wellness offerings, increase revenue, and provide guests with a unique and memorable experience. By understanding and tailoring to the customer wellness journey, hotels can create a wellness-oriented atmosphere that will keep guests coming back for more.
Contact our hospitality department for more assistance:
- Published in LIFE FITNESS, NEWS
How to ensure your guests have an enjoyable in-room wellbeing experience
In a post-pandemic world, the average hotel and gym guest profile has changed. People want a more bespoke experience, more control and minimal disruption. How can you incorporate this into your offer?
Fitness products and brands travel with their customers. As fitness routines have become a daily lifestyle component for so many of us during the pandemic, it’s important to ensure your guests have access to the facilities they’re used to on their travels. Workout tracking, on-demand training and daily workout suggestions are important to those guests who want to continue their wellbeing journey throughout their stay.
More and more hotels are starting to offer in-room equipment, such as treadmills, exercise bikes, dumbbells and exercise balls. Some hotels are offering “work-in, work-out” promotions, featuring second adjoining rooms to be set up as working or gym facilities, with virtual training services. The Hilton’s Five Feet to Fitness concept blends the traditional hotel room with a fitness centre, with 11 different equipment and accessory options into the hotel room, along with a touch-screen display with bespoke exercise tutorials to guide guests through workout routines. Kempinski hotels has introduced “fit rooms”, upgraded suites in select hotels that come complete with in-room workout solutions and on-demand fitness services as well as personal guided sessions with a virtual trainer, accessed via a QR code.
Knowing your demographic well will determine what you offer to guests and what difference it will make to their stay and their likelihood of returning. If your guest profile represents business travellers who want to maintain their daily workout routine then in-room equipment could be worth the investment. If your core demographic is leisure travellers who prefer a trip to the on-site facilities and keep their room for sleeping and relaxing then the emphasis must go elsewhere.
Of course, not everyone has the budget to offer additional in-room facilities or high-tech-enabled equipment but there are other ways to ensure the in-room experience is geared towards optimum wellbeing.
The in-room offer doesn’t have to include physical fitness equipment but the simple addition of mindfulness, meditation and basic stretching exercises on the room TV is a cost-effective way to improve the wellbeing experience. You could also include recommendations for fitness apps or nearby walking routes and include different types of cushions or weighted blankets.
The wellbeing offer doesn’t just extend to corporeal fitness. On the room service menu, offer a good mix of organic and local produce where possible as well as flagging up available healthier options or offering niche extras such as protein drinks for the more dedicated fitness fans.
However, an in-room wellbeing experience is an ongoing one and cannot be delivered in a silo. Only by aligning all aspects of your organisation in the wellbeing philosophy will you be able to ensure your guests get the experience they have come to expect and will keep them singing your praises and coming back for more.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS, NEWS
Treadmill Console Buyers Guide: Top Quality and Design Features
Treadmill Console Buyers Guide: Top Quality and Design Features
Buying cardio equipment is a lot like buying a car.
It’s a major purchase most people make only once every several years. The market changes a lot between buys. And with sales of home fitness equipment up by triple-digit percentages since the onset of COVID 19, there are more new or first-time shoppers than ever.
Perhaps you’re one. If so, we’re here to help you make sense of the marketplace. Because just as today’s cars have more technology baked into them than ever before, treadmill consoles nowadays are capable of things that were unheard of even five years ago. To get the most for your money, your buying process should involve three steps:
1. Understand the options available
2. Determine which options you need
3. Find the right fit for your budget
This guide walks you through Step #1. In the sections that follow, we’ll dive deep into treadmill consoles. We’ll explain how console display layout can affect your comfort and safety on the machine. And we’ll explore new connectivity options and what they can do for you.
By the end, you’ll be ready to find the right match for you.
How to Tell at a Glance if a Console is Good
Why focus so much on the console? While the “ride” underfoot certainly matters, the surface of any fitness equipment you consider should be durable, provide excellent shock absorption, and feel good. That’s table stakes.
The console, meanwhile, is where all of your thinking interaction with the machine takes place. It’s what greets you every time you step onto a cardio machine, be it a treadmill, bike, elliptical or arc trainer. And consoles vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
A good console gets you into your workout quickly, connects to your devices without hassle, and — if you ever get bored — is capable of presenting you with new training options.
To meet its many requirements, a console control board ought to have a clear visual hierarchy, where:
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Most-used buttons are the largest. Fun fact: That means “go”, “stop” and “cool down” need to be unmissable and located toward the center.
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The second most-used items on the control board are speed and incline. These also should be large and centrally located. One-touch options for preset speeds are also nice.
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Entertainment features like device connectivity or TV controls should be on the periphery.
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Additional workout programs need to be available — and recognizable. Time-tested training protocols like intervals or hills remain in high demand.
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The console display ought to be big enough where you can clearly understand messages on its LED or LCD display.
Finally, don’t forget about the reading rack, which nowadays doubles as a smartphone holder more often than not.
Are You Not Entertained?
Now that we’ve discussed “what” must be on a console control board, let’s examine your options for “how” that information can be presented.
Broadly speaking, you have three categories of options. In order of increasing entertainment value, they are:
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LED Consoles — The classic, basic workhorse. On LEDs, you push buttons to control the device and read data written in LED lights. Good for people who want to just hammer out miles or meters and who don’t need a lot of frills.
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LED/LCD Hybrids — These units have some push-buttons and LED info positioned around an embedded video screen. Good for people who want their viewing experience on the console but who may not need the full-on touchscreen experience.
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Tablet-style Touchscreen LCDs — Basically a high-end iPad mounted on cardio equipment. These displays have the most flexibility and premium features like streaming workouts;
Another key thing to consider: Accessibility. The larger the display area is on a unit, the bigger its messages can be presented. Bigger sizes let the unit say more (helpful for maintenance situations or software updates) and or use larger font sizes.
Get Yourself Connected: Today’s Must-Have Fitness Technology
More exercisers are using more devices in more ways than ever before. In fact, sales of bluetooth headsets grew by 200% during 2019, with Apple AirPods alone selling 60 million units within that category.
About 14 million more people purchased a smartwatch during the first quarter of 2020. And remember, those numbers are pre-COVID. It’s easy to see why “wearable devices” is the #1 trend influencing fitness for four of the past six years, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
So where 20 years ago people might roll up on a treadmill with a heart rate monitor if anything, today’s trainees come equipped with a smartwatch and a killer set of headphones — and all of them are wireless. To meet the needs of those many devices (and different brands of device makers), a console needs to offer an alphabet soup of connectivity, including:
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ANT+ lets wireless devices “talk” and relay data to each other. Started with the popular Garmin series of watches/devices, and has expanded over time.
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Apple® GymKit works seamlessly with Apple Watches to share data between watch and device. The watch tracks calories and handles heart rate monitoring while the treadmill records metrics like pace and distance.
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Bluetooth® (or BLE) works on anything from heart rate straps to BEATS-style headphones.
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NFC is a short-range sensor technology most known for it’s use in “tap to pay” credit cards. On a treadmill, it makes syncing with your iPhone or Android super easy.
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Wifi — yes, like in your laptop — is a helpful way to transmit larger amounts of data to your cardio equipment. Useful for tracking treadmill use, maintenance needs, and offering premium content like streaming workouts.
What Else Makes a Console Good?
The last thing you want after you’ve invested a 4-figure sum into a new cardio machine is to be hit with a repair bill. A good warranty provides peace of mind and protection against faulty manufacturing. There are several different components covered under a warranty, so be sure to inquire about each of the following:
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Frame (i.e. the equipment’s structure)
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Motor (what powers the belt)
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Electrical components
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Mechanical components (wheels, shafts, etc.)
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Surfaces
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Labor (i.e. who foots the bill for the repair itself)
But Wait, what’s the Difference Between Commercial Treadmill Consoles vs. Home Gyms?
Broadly speaking, the treadmill console won’t be much different between a unit meant for home fitness vs. commercial fitness use. The main difference is in durability.
Commercial units include heftier shocks and other reinforced parts to handle the all-day pounding they receive from differently sized people. Your typical at-home treadmill, which might get used for an hour or two per day, doesn’t need to be so heavy-duty.
Options for home use also include folding treadmills, which help you save floorspace around the house.
5 Questions Every Cardio Console Buyer Should Ask
What’s the console’s boot up time? No one likes waiting. A unit shouldn’t take longer than 6 seconds to turn on and be ready to roll.
What’s included standard? Some cardio equipment manufacturers woo you with low prices on a “base” treadmill console but then nickel-and-dime you with added features.
What happens if something goes wrong? Get crystal clarity on what’s covered under the warranty, and what support the manufacturer provides if problems occur. You don’t want to navigate through difficult menus to read obscure error codes and research part numbers, so find out how they’ll help you. Also ask: Will the console require software updates and if so, how easy or challenging will they be?
What type of workout experience do I want? Consider how much entertainment value or additional content you want. Would you like to be able to watch movies or stream workouts? If so, a LCD touchscreen unit is the way to go. If you prefer to just hammer off the miles to just the sound of the engine (or your headphones), then an LED will do you fine.
What devices does it work with? Make sure the answer you hear includes the options you need, whether that be Bluetooth®, Apple® GymKit, ANT+, Garmin or Polar.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
Rethinking Your Facility Layout: Personal Cardio Spaces
Rethinking Your Facility Layout: Personal Cardio Spaces
The pandemic has forced health clubs to rethink how they do things. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Adaptation can create fresh workout experiences for exercisers.
Adequate space between exercisers is essential for the near term. Consider setting aside areas where exercisers can have their own personal workouts and the peace of mind knowing they’re safely distanced from others.
The Cardio Space
The area shown on the left begins with the Arc Trainer, a versatile piece of cardio equipment that allows for moderately-paced cardio sessions as well as high-intensity interval training. Similar personal workout spaces can also be planned using cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, PowerMills or bikes.
Combining the cardio unit with a storage solution for strength and functional training tools allows users to get in a great overall workout, without ever leaving a small, roughly 10′ x 10′ space.
Personal Cardio Space Workouts
The suggested workouts below provide options to suit most exercisers and were created by Leigh Wierichs, the Global Training and Education Manager at Life Fitness. These are specific to the Arc Trainer, but can easily be adapted for other cardio equipment.
The same goes for the training accessories in the space. Facilities can choose the tools that their members use the most, including options like kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls and resistance bands. Health clubs and other fitness facilities can create the personal workout experience that best fits their user demographic.
Power: 30 seconds on/30 seconds off repeated three times (3 minutes total) followed by accessories
- Arc Trainer: 3 minutes total (30-second on/off intervals) at a 20+ resistance level (depending upon the fitness level of the exerciser)
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Accessory Workout: 3 minutes
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Total Cycle Time: 7 minutes
Repeat the sequence four times followed by a cool down and stretch. RPE Scale of 8-9 for ON interval.
Strength: 1 minute on/1 minute off/1 minute on (3 minutes total) followed by accessories
- Arc Trainer: 3 minutes total (1-minute on/off intervals) at a 30+ resistance level (depending upon the fitness level of the exerciser)
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Accessory Workout: 3 minutes
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Total Cycle Time: 7 minutes
Repeat the sequence four times followed by a cool down and stretch. RPE Scale of 7-8 for ON interval.
Cardio: 2 minutes on/1 minute off/2 minutes on (5 minutes total) followed by accessories
- Arc Trainer: 5 minutes total at a 15+ resistance level (depending upon the fitness level of the exerciser)
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Accessory Workout: 3 minutes
- Transition: 30 seconds
- Total Cycle Time: 9 minutes
Repeat sequence three times followed by a cool down and stretch. RPE Scale of 6-7 for ON interval.
Note: Shorter work intervals should be done at higher watt outputs: 150-watt target for two-minute work intervals; 200 to 250 for one-minute intervals; 300 to 400 for 30-second intervals. Combined together with accessories, this creates a great overall workout.
Accessory Workout Tips
For Power and Strength workouts, exercisers should focus on upper body movements since legs will be fatigued from the higher resistance during the strength/power block of work on the Arc Trainer. Exercisers can use sets of the same movements and repeat for subsequent accessories blocks, or superset with new exercises targeting the same muscle groups. They should try to work to fatigue in each set.
For Cardio workouts, exercisers focus on either lower body (squats or lunges, for example) or total-body compound movements (squat press) so that they can keep their heart rate elevated even during the accessories block. Exercisers should switch muscle groups from one exercise to the next and keep minimal transition and rest time in order to keep the heart rate elevated for the entire 30-minute workout.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
How To Create A Robust Home Gym When You Don’t Have A Lot Of Space
How To Create A Robust Home Gym When You Don’t Have A Lot Of Space
You don’t really need a lot of room to create a great home workout area. Just a few square feet can be used to for a combination of cardio, strength and bodyweight training. A total-body workout space can even fit smartly into a corner of a studio apartment.
Benefits
- Combines challenging cardio and strength training in one space
- Equipment with a modern aesthetic won’t look out of place
- Several different training tools ensure workout variety
Equipment Ideas
- IC7 indoor cycle
- Kettlebells
- Dumbbells
- Medicine balls
- Studio deck
- Yoga mat
The Platinum Club Series Treadmill is designed to keep you engaged during your workouts. It includes integrated HD TV, compatibility with entertainment apps like Netflix® and YouTube® and it even syncs with your Apple Watch®.
The premium console helps you take your mind off of your workouts if that’s your preferred method of exercise. The Plantinum Club Series is the top-of-the-line when it comes to home treadmills.
Just Like at The Health Club
The Platinum Club Series (see above) is found in premium health clubs, but so is the Club Series+ Treadmill. The rugged cardio unit withstands plenty of miles at the gym, and it can definitely hold up to whatever you put it through at home.
Consider the Club Series+ Treadmill to be a trusted running partner for a very long time.
Added Considerations
Close proximity to a TV makes it easy to stay entertained or follow an on-demand workout. Self-powered equipment like the IC7 indoor cycle eliminates cumbersome electrical cords and makes placement easy. Accessories like kettlebells, dumbbells and medicine balls can be used for a nearly limitless variety of strength and functional training without requiring large pieces of strength equipment.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
How To Pick A Home Treadmill
How To Pick A Home Treadmill
There are days when leaving the house or apartment feels like a chore due to bad weather, temporary aversion to your fellow man, etc. Those are times when we’re thankful for the existence of Grubhub, Netflix, and…the ability to work out at home.
If you’ve managed to start a regular running routine, good work, starting is the hardest part. But now you’re tasked with maintaining those miles. Running at the gym is great. Outdoor running can be exhilarating (when the weather decides to cooperate). But if you’re committed to your running lifestyle, it’s a good idea to invest in a treadmill for your home gym.
Oh, but there are so many choices. Pick one that matches your workout routine so that your investment doesn’t become a very expensive clothes hanger.
Big Workouts in Small Spaces
The F3 Treadmill is durable piece of home fitness equipment, and it includes the FlexDeck Shock Absorption System that reduces impact when you’re putting in the miles. But, it also folds and it can be easily stored out of the way when it isn’t being used.
The fact that it folds makes it perfect for those urban dwellers who don’t have a lot of space or those who don’t want to dedicate a portion of the house for a home gym.
Indoor Terrain for the Serious Runner
The FlexDeck Select System on the T5 Treadmill reduces impact, but it also lets you choose between three different firmness settings.
So, if you have a trail run coming up you can set the firmness to mimic the feel. Do you prefer to get your miles in on the concrete your city streets? Set the firmness to replicate that.
Running While Entertained
The Platinum Club Series Treadmill is designed to keep you engaged during your workouts. It includes integrated HD TV, compatibility with entertainment apps like Netflix® and YouTube® and it even syncs with your Apple Watch®.
The premium console helps you take your mind off of your workouts if that’s your preferred method of exercise. The Plantinum Club Series is the top-of-the-line when it comes to home treadmills.
Just Like at The Health Club
The Platinum Club Series (see above) is found in premium health clubs, but so is the Club Series+ Treadmill. The rugged cardio unit withstands plenty of miles at the gym, and it can definitely hold up to whatever you put it through at home.
Consider the Club Series+ Treadmill to be a trusted running partner for a very long time.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
Why It’s Time For Fitness Facilities To Invest In Digital Technology
Why It’s Time For Fitness Facilities To Invest In Digital Technology
You’ve probably heard it by now.
- The world’s biggest taxi service doesn’t own a car. (Uber)
- The world’s largest bookseller has less than 20 physical book stores. (Amazon)
- The world’s largest lodging provider doesn’t own real estate. (Airbnb)
In the new digital era, our assumptions about what is essential to a specific business or industry are moot. With that in mind, what do we think digital transformation will mean for the health and fitness industry? Before we can answer that question, we need to take a look at the health and fitness industry’s status quo.
We all know digital disruption is a risk. And we know that digital transformation is an essential component of future-proofing your company. But what we’re seeing isn’t an industry enthusiastically embracing the opportunities digital transformation affords. Instead, we see an industry in confusion. An industry unsure what to do with the tools available to them. And it’s no surprise. When you know you have to change so many aspects of your business, where do you begin?
Maybe your first instinct is to invest in digital tech that will help you keep up with the latest disruptive market entrant. You don’t want to fall so far behind that there’s no point trying to catch up, right? Or maybe you want to wait another year or so, get a better feel for the new digital reality before investing. We can’t say which choice is the right one, because digital transformation is different for every business. There’s no playbook to guarantee a successful digital transformation in “X” months.
What health and fitness companies like yours need isn’t a 10-step plan that’s too generic to add any real value. Instead, what you need is a trusted partner with the knowledge, insight and means to help you create and execute a digital transformation strategy that works for you.
And that’s why Life Fitness is concentrating on digital.
Yes, we made our name with outstanding fitness equipment. It’s what we’ve done well for 50 years. So why pivot to digital? Why invest in the Internet of Fitness? This isn’t us hedging our bets. This is us wholeheartedly embracing what we see as the inevitable future of the health and fitness industry.
Yes, inevitable. Why?
- There have been more connected devices than people since 2008, and smartphones, wearables and the growing list of other smart devices aren’t going anywhere soon.
- The Fitness Market & Trend Report 2018-2020 indicates that 8 of the 10 most important communication channels for gyms are digital.
- Digital giants like Google and Apple have already launched their own health and fitness platforms. This means the health and fitness industry’s digital transformation isn’t just likely. It’s already underway.
So, what do we think digital transformation means for the health and fitness industry? We believe that the industry’s future is a connected one. Connected equipment that is customized with a gym’s own branding and messaging. Connected trainers who are able to provide support directly to members through various digital channels. And, of course, connected members, who are able to enjoy a tailored and optimized fitness experience thanks to powerful personalization made possible by integrated wearables, centralized data management and other innovations.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
How To Build A Home Gym In Your Bedroom
How To Build A Home Gym In Your Bedroom
When space is tight, home fitness equipment can end up in a bedroom. While this doesn’t give you a dedicated space to train, it can be all you need to keep your workouts top of mind. Here are a few things to keep in mind while making a fitness space in your bedroom.
Benefits
- Easy access to your fitness equipment makes it easier to get workouts in.
- If your bedroom has a flatscreen TV it can take your mind off of your cardio workouts, just be sure to angle any cardio equipment so that there’s a clear view of the TV.
- A room away from common areas provides privacy during workouts and keeps equipment out of view when you have guests.
Equipment Ideas
- One piece of cardio equipment placed near an outlet (if required). Consider more compact options like foldable treadmills, stationary bikes, rowers or compact cross-trainers that tend to have a small footprint.
- Yoga mat for stretching and yoga sessions.
- Stock up on accessories like stability balls, resistance bands or dumbbells. They provide plenty of added workout options, don’t require a large amount of storage space and can be easily stored out of sight in a closet or under the bed.
Added Considerations
- If noise is an issue, consider cardio equipment like cross-trainers that have nearly silent operation.
- Don’t let your cardio equipment become a coat hanger. Avoid hanging clothes on your cardio equipment because it’s easy to decide not to work out when you have to clear off your treadmill first.
Cardio Equipment Electrical Requirements
Life Fitness equipment must be properly installed and grounded. Do not use an extension cord or power strip.
- 15A CIRCUIT: Life Fitness consumer treadmills should be powered off a 120V 15Amp outlet. No more than one treadmill should be installed on each circuit. One non-tread cardio machine may be hooked up to the circuit. Best performance comes with a dedicated breaker and circuit for all treads.
- 20A CIRCUIT: One treadmill and up to two non-tread cardio machines can be plugged into outlets served by the same 20A circuit. Lamps or other non-motorized electrical devices up to a total 200 Watts can be plugged into outlets served by the same 20A circuit together with the treadmill.
- Published in LIFE FITNESS
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