Cardiovascular equipment logs the most member use at most health clubs, so smart purchasing can save you-and your members-grief in the long run. Here’s what you need to know to make the best buys for your club.
When it comes right down to it, your club’s cardiovascular equipment is probably your biggest member draw. Cardio machines-including treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes-are among the most popular pieces of fitness equipment in health clubs, which may be the reason more than half of club owners reported that they planned to purchase new cardio equipment in the next year in a 2007 survey of club owners. Cardio equipment is certainly a fitness facility must-have-and it’s not an area where you want to spend without caution and forethought. Because just as smart purchases and quality equipment can keep your members coming back, bad decision making when it comes to cardio purchases can actually drive members away.
WHY YOU NEED IT
There’s no question that cardio equipment is the most popular at most clubs-treadmills (which have grown in popularity by 720% over the past decade) log the most users of all fitness equipment across the health club industry, followed by elliptical trainers, stair steppers, recumbent bikes and stationary bikes. In other words, whatever kind of club you’re running, cardio equipment is a must-have.
It’s not hard to understand why: Cardiovascular exercise comes with some of fitness’ best benefits. In addition to reducing risk of serious health problems, including stroke, diabetes and heart disease, cardio exercise is one of the most effective ways for fitness newbies to see results in the form of pounds lost and muscles toned. Cardio equipment is also popular because it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of finesse or specialized knowledge to get started. While novices might not be able to figure out advanced programming options, they probably know how to walk and ride a bike well enough to get the benefits of a cardio workout without personalized equipment tutorials. Cardio machines simulate everyday activities that most of your members are already comfortable performing, making cardio equipment an easy transition to a fitness lifestyle.
WHAT YOU NEED
Cardio equipment doesn’t come cheap-expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 for a no-frills stationary bike-to $10,000 for a top-of-the-line treadmill-so smart planning will keep you from spending too much or too little. Most fitness club buyers agree that the most important element to include in your cardio equipment purchases is variety-but spend time with your member demographics before you buy because you want to invest in a variety that works for your club.
“You don’t want to take up space with less popular equipment if you have members waiting for a treadmill,” says Nanette Pattee Francini, president and founder of The SportsClub/LA. “We constantly look at usage patterns so we can replace equipment that is being underutilized with equipment that members are using.”
Brand loyalty isn’t necessarily a benefit when it comes to purchasing cardio equipment, since member preference plays a strong role in use.
“I like to have two different brands of each type of cardio equipment,” says Ralph Rajs, vice president for Leisure Sports. “I think this breaks up the sea of sameness on the cardio floor and gives members variety. People will just like certain pieces over others so I think there is value in offering the choice of two top brands.”
Pattee Francini agrees. “We get the best of each type, and no one manufacturer makes the best of everything,” she says.
Obviously safety is an important consideration, but most of the big-name companies have similar safety records-and most types of cardio equipment have been on the market long enough to have their kinks recognized and repaired. You will want to consider how easy a particular piece of equipment is to use as you’re evaluating options. And as always, consider your club in your decision making: How much space do you have for cardio equipment? What kind of usage does your equipment withstand on a daily basis? How much money do you have budgeted to spend on cardio equipment?
When it comes time to stock your cardio floor, here are the pieces to consider:
Treadmill
Choosing and purchasing a quality treadmill is the best use of time and money when it comes to cardio equipment. This is the piece of equipment that’s likely to get the most use in your club, so it’s worth the effort of careful research to ensure that you make a smart purchase.As you’re planning your cardio floor, keep in mind that treadmills require a large footprint of space-allow several feet of space behind each treadmill for safety reasons. A lower-budget facility can get away with relatively close treadmill proximity, but the more upscale your club, the more space your members will require between pieces of equipment, so keep that in mind as you make your plans.
Also, don’t forget that commercial treadmills require a dedicated electrical circuit-they are not designed to be plugged into a standard wall outlet. You’ll want to take this fact into consideration as you decide how many treadmills your club needs to create the optimum cardio floor for your members.
Stationary Bike
Bikes are almost as popular as treadmills, but they’re much less expensive and require less floor space to function, making them a great cardio addition for smaller clubs. (Many are even self-powered, which takes away the need to configure around electrical supports.)Bikes come in two basic forms: upright bikes-where, as the name suggests, you sit up straight to pedal-and recumbent bikes, where the peddler leans back in his seat. Recumbent bikes have become popular over the past few years because they tend to be easier on the joints, so if your club has a high senior population, recumbent bikes can be a good investment.
Elliptical or Cross-Training Machines
The incredible popularity of elliptical machines makes them a piece of equipment that no club-however small its cardio floor space might be-can be without. Though the treadmill trumps other equipment in popularity, the elliptical machine’s versatile and comprehensive workout makes it a must-have for intermediate and more advanced exercisers.Elliptical machines use pedaling motions-the name “elliptical” comes from the ellipse-shaped movement of the machine’s pedals-to work the muscles of the lower body. Because the pedals move forward and backwards, the movement is gentle on the joints, reducing wear and tear on the ankles, knees and hips.
When it comes to ellipticals, there are numerous options. Some machines allow the user to adjust the incline to intensify her workout; others parallel the gentle leg movements with arm movements for overall toning. Take your membership’s needs and use patterns into account when choosing the elliptical machine that is right for your club.
Stair Climbers
Popular because they boost heart rate while toning leg muscles, stair climbers are another popular form of cardio equipment that most people expect to find in their health club.There are two styles of stair climber: independent climbers, which require the user to raise and lower the pedals himself, and dependent climbers, where the second pedal rises when the exerciser steps on the first pedal. There’s no real advantage to one form over the other, though beginning exercisers may be more comfortable with dependent climbers, since the balancing act required by independent climbers can take a while to adjust to.
BELLS & WHISTLES
Cardio equipment may be the most popular equipment in most clubs, but it also runs the risk of being the most boring. Entertainment can help solve the problem-and many clubs address the entertainment option very practically, by including television and DVD options for cardio exercisers. (See page 32 for some of video options popular in clubs.) Pattee Francini says that personalized TV viewing options help her members really focus on their workouts, which ultimately helps them to achieve the results they’re looking for faster and more efficiently.
While there’s nothing wrong with old-fashioned video viewing, there are more options than just television to liven up your cardio floor. Think outside the box when you’re considering where to make upgrades in your club’s cardio equipment.
“I have had a really good response from Espresso Bikes, virtual reality bikes,” says Rajs, whose members clamor for the high-end, high-tech bikes that turn bike riding into a video game experience where you can bike through the Alps or chase dragons in a virtual world, all the while trying to beat your own personal best. Other companies offer similar virtual entertainment options, which can prove to be very popular with members.
Apple has also teamed with several equipment companies, including Precor, Life Fitness and Star Trac, to make cardio equipment screens iPod compatible so that members can control their music from their exercise station. USB devises that let members track their workouts from session to session were popular cardio additions at this year’s IHRSA show-though the USB option doesn’t necessarily boost the fitness fun factor, it does make it easier for your members to track their progress and can be motivating to technologically-linked members.
Finally, don’t ignore the fact that for some exercisers, spending time at the club with their friends is the ultimate entertainment. Be sure your setup allows space for members who want to chat it up while they work out in addition to more private space for members who prefer to get into their own zone during the cardiovascular segment of their workouts.
MAINTENANCE
Because of its popularity, cardiovascular equipment frequently gets the most wear and tear of any fitness equipment in your club. To ensure optimum member use, purchase your cardio equipment from a reliable company with clearly articulated repair and service policies.
“Equipment downtime is a huge member negative,” says Rajs, who cites reliability as the number-one thing he looks for when purchasing cardio equipment.
In general, the equipment manufacturer or supplier should be able to provide you with a list of scheduled maintenance, and following that schedule can go a long way toward preventing problems before they become an inconvenience to members.
It’s also smart to pay attention to your cardio floor to keep an eye on whether some pieces of cardio equipment rack up more use than others because of their location. (Prime TV viewing spots or window locations may be more popular than spots in the middle of the fitness floor.) Consider rotating your machines occasionally so that your machines wear equally. Rajs suggests purchasing in thirds so that each year you rotate out a third of your cardio equipment and replace it with new equipment. Though Brian Johnson, the vice president of purchasing for Urban Active clubs, expects his cardio equipment to last a minimum of 5 years, cardio equipment tends to be the most style-conscious gym equipment, which means it can look dated much more quickly than strength equipment does. Especially if your club veers toward the higher end of consumers, you may need to rotate out equipment that’s still technically usable if its aesthetic makes it seem dated. (This is a good reason to talk with your manufacturer about trade-in options before you make cardio purchases.)
Cardio equipment does have a lifespan. “We replace ours at the end of warranty, which is probably more often than most clubs,” says Pattee Francini.
Though you can’t prevent wear and tear from use, regular cleaning and staff inspection can keep cardio equipment working in top form. And while cleanability isn’t the most important quality when it comes to choosing a piece of fitness equipment, Pattee Francini hits the nail on the head: “The cleanability of materials on cardio equipment can’t be our major concern when we are purchasing, but having a talented housekeeping and equipment maintenance staff is a must!”
