How to Upgrade Your Commercial Gym Equipment and Save Money

Did you know that only about 33% of adults get the recommended amount of exercise each week? That's because most of today's adults are very busy, they get distracted with other activities or they simply don’t care about their health.

Granted, staying in shape is not the easiest thing in the world. However, you can make that much easier by upgrading the commercial gym equipment you have in your fitness club. People are always attracted by new and modern things, so by getting new equipment, you can help your clients achieve their fitness goals.

Keep reading to find out how to do that!

Start By Finding Out What Commercial Gym Equipment You Need

Obviously, you cannot simply buy new cardio machines or a few dumbbells and expect magic to happen overnight. Take the following aspects into account to make a great decision:

1. Go For Quality Instead of Quantity

You might be tempted to buy five cheap treadmills instead of two high-quality ones, but this can be a mistake.

Premium work out equipment tends to last longer, requires little to no maintenance, and has multiple functions. Your members will actually love the multitude of workout routines offered by a modern treadmill or step machine, so always go for quality instead of quantity.

2. Consider Your Indoor Space

Before upgrading your equipment, take a look at how much space you have available in your gym. Do some measurements and decide whether you need three more weight racks or just two.

Ideally, you want to upgrade your commercial gym equipment without cramming your club. People tend to leave gyms where you barely have space to do a basic stretching routine, so plan accordingly.

3. Look At What Your Competition Has

It's a good idea to see what other fitness centers have to offer. This will give you a perspective on what people like, what you should improve, and what you should change. For example, if a competitor has a lot of success with cardio machines, maybe you should try to do that as well and see how it works for you.

Now, this is not an excuse to blatantly copy your competition. Preserving your uniqueness as a modern fitness center is what makes you stand out from the crowd. Analyze your competition to stimulate your imagination and to get inspired, but ultimately, you should make your gym as unique as possible.

4. See What's Missing In Your Gym

People go to the gym for various reasons. Some of them like to run, others to cycle, certain clients prefer to lift weights while others love to have a go at the punching bag. Ideally, you'd want a perfectly balanced gym to accommodate the needs of a broader clientele.

In this case, inspect your gym carefully and see what you don’t have.

For example, are there enough weights for women as well? Do you have enough kettlebells? What about TRX ropes? Some people prefer to lift dumbbells while others work with free weights. Are there enough treadmills in your gym? Do you have a boxing bag as well?

Based on your detailed analysis, you can bring in more commercial gym equipment which caters to the needs of almost all your members. This will definitely attract more people and make the current ones loyal.

Consider Multiple Financing Options

Once you have decided what gym equipment to bring in, now it's time to see how you can afford it. Most gym owners go for used fitness equipment and this is a great idea, especially if you're on a tight budget. Used gym machines can still be used by the members of your gym and they usually come at a fraction of their retail price.

However, you have multiple other financing options when it comes to upgrading your gym. Here are other aspects worth taking into account.

1. Lease Your Commercial Gym Equipment

You don’t necessarily have to own the new gym equipment, or at least not in the beginning. There is the possibility to lease your gym equipment from private companies. These firms can offer you a broad range of fitness machines for you to use in your gym. You'll pay a monthly fee for the duration of your contract and you can use the equipment as you please.

Leasing gym equipment is one of the best options out there because it's practical and affordable. In most cases, the maintenance, repair, and upgrading of this equipment are free, so you have one less worry on your shoulders.

2. Buy Fitness Equipment with Cash

Especially if you have a successful gym, you probably have decent cash reserves by now. You can use a portion of this money to upgrade the commercial gym equipment and attract more clients. Your biggest advantage is that you own these machines upfront and you can use them for years to come, without having to pay a monthly fee.

3. Buy New Fitness Devices Using Equity

It's also possible to use equity from investors and sponsors to buy some of the commercial gym machines in your fitness center. This option is ideal if you don’t want to burn through your cash reserves or your budget is really small.

4. Take A Bank Loan

Upgrading the equipment in your gym is an investment, but you'll eventually get your money back in a couple of years. If you're short on cash now, it's possible to obtain a bank loan and use it to finance your new commercial gym equipment.

This is one of the safest and most popular options as you'll only have to worry about the monthly bank payments for a period of several years. Luckily, your new gym equipment will attract more clients and you'll be able to cover your expenses faster!

Ready To Upgrade Your Commercial Gym Equipment?

Remember that most successful gyms do commercial gym equipment upgrades periodically and if you want to be on top, you should do the same.

If you still have doubts about what types of equipment to buy for your gym, check out our article on strength machines and expand your knowledge!