As an industry supplier, we’re constantly being asked by our customers, prospects, industry publications and even fellow suppliers, “What’s new in the design of fitness facilities?” It’s a good question.
Unfortunately, the response is seldom one, clear-cut answer. There are a lot of factors that go into any answer. Some factors are site-specific and some come down to an individual definition of what is unique.
Let’s start first with the person who’s really responsible for planning all this out – the architect. Honestly, there are only a handful of architects out there that specialize in the building or renovation of fitness centers. These people put out really good-looking fitness centers, but the likelihood is that your fitness center will be designed by someone whose real expertise is not in designing for fitness. We’ve heard some real horror stories about people who have designed fitness centers that show a clear lack of knowledge of what is needed where. So, if you’re dealing with an architect that has little experience in dealing with fitness, I would suggest that before you meet with your architect, go out and look at the other facilities in your area. Make notes on what you like and dislike about each facility and then, armed with these notes, take your architect with you. You’re more likely to come away with something you like and that works if you’re both able to see how others have laid things out on a floor, rather than weeks later simply on paper.
Once you’ve developed a workable plan with your architect, it’s time to meet with your builder and discuss these plans. Again, there are contractors who are experts at building fitness facilities, but it’s more likely you’ll be using a contractor with little experience in the needs of our business. They can usually follow the architect’s drawings, but when it comes to the peculiarities of a fitness center, they simply don’t understand all the mechanics involved. What particularly vexes the uninitiated contractor, especially in the area of fitness flooring, is why you can’t just nail in any old floor they’re used to installing in other commercial facilities. They may discount the fact that the flooring you selected has been engineered for the needs of a particular area, and they may not be able to understand why a separate contractor must be employed to install this specialized flooring. In many cases, we as suppliers have made it easier for these contractors to install our products, but our instructions must be adhered to for the products to perform correctly and our products are not installed like other, similar products.
Next, it’s down to choosing the suppliers for particular fitness products. In this case, you’re more than welcome to ask suppliers to become a little more creative than what is listed in their catalogs. Catalogs usually show generic installations to give you an idea of what the product looks like, without confusing the issue by throwing in all the bells and whistles. However, if you have something specific in mind, let your supplier know and they should try to accommodate you.
One thing that has become particularly popular is placing a facility’s logo everywhere. You can walk into some facilities and you are confronted by their logo at every turn. Logos are on the machines, inlaid into floors, neon signage on the walls, on free weights, on equipment mats and wall murals. There can be limits as to how much of this is overkill, but putting your logo in strategic areas certainly does give your facility a more prestigious look.
Feel free to challenge suppliers to help you decide what will create an aesthetic impact that will make your club look unique. Architects can come up with some clever ideas that may not be possible with your products, but your suppliers should always be willing to work with you to help you reach your goals. Also, feel free to ask your supplier what others have done that is unique, since they’ve likely come across other facilities that have used products in some very creative ways. After all, it’s your supplier’s job to give you products that you’ll be happy with for years to come.
You’ll likely have a lot of new prospects coming into your club in the next month, trying to fulfill their resolutions to become more fit. One of the ways that people will judge your club, beyond your programming, your staff, and your enthusiasm, is through the atmosphere that they perceive your club to have. Your club, like in any introduction, only has one chance to make a first impression, so make it a good one!
Happy holidays and best of luck in this busiest of selling seasons.
Steve Chase is the General Manager of Fitness Flooring. He can be contacted at 800.428.5306, or by email atsales@fitnessfloors.com, or visit www.fitnessfloors.com.
