Most equipment manufacturers offer similar equipment, such as treadmills, group bikes and climbers. But according to Tom Flynn, the COO of YMCA of South Hampton Roads, Virginia, one manufacturer stands out from the rest. That manufacturer is Octane Fitness, which boasts a variety of one-of-a-kind fitness pieces.
Here, Flynn explains why they chose to furnish part of their fitness floor with Octane Fitness products, and the benefits of this choice.
CS: What Octane Fitness products do you have within your facility?
TF: We currently have the Octane Pro 4700, Octane Lateral LX8000 and the X-Ride XR6000. We are also beta testing the Octane Zero Runner for future consideration. We’ll most likely be purchasing these in 2017.
CS: How were you introduced to Octane Fitness and why did you decide to purchase their products?
TF: We tried out the Octane Fitness products at an IHRSA show several years ago and became impressed quickly. We met with Chris Kvale, the director of commercial sales, and learned more about the products, the company, etc. We got excited about the “no impact” motions and capabilities of the Octane Fitness equipment, which was very different from their competitors.
I sent my director of fitness equipment and facilities, Joe Sauerwald, to the Octane Fitness headquarters in Minneapolis to see the manufacturing process and meet with their designers and engineers, to get a full evaluation on the integrity of the equipment. We were convinced then that Octane Fitness would make a great new option in this space for us in our YMCA Health & Wellness Centers.
CS: Have you been pleasantly surprised by working with Octane Fitness in any way?
TF: We love their company culture, their commitment to the “zero impact” category, and how popular their products are in our YMCAs.
One of our directors also mentioned, “One of our personal trainers recommends it to her clients, as it is comfortable on the joints and does not hurt their knees. She says that the adjustable stride length which is not available on any other machines that we have is a plus for females in particular.”
CS: What else can you tell other club operators about Octane Fitness?
TF: If you are looking for innovation in the zero impact equipment category, and want to wow your members, you need to highly consider Octane Fitness products in your plans.
For more information on Octane Fitness and how it can benefit your facility, visit octanefitness.com/commercial.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
