Fitness Accessories: Sometimes, It’s All About the Little Things!

In fitness clubs today, members are often searching for more than just traditional cardio and strength training areas. To meet this need, many clubs now offer workout wear, functional training tools and a variety of accessories for personal training and group exercise classes as a way to give members options and prevent them from succumbing to boredom.

Functional Fashion
In today’s busy world, everyone seems to be looking for ways to save time – and gym members are no exception! To accomodate  this, some fitness clubs offer gear that simplifies the workout process, making it easier to fit visits to the gym into a busy schedule.

One of the most frustrating things for some members happens before they even make it onto the workout floor. Trying to find a locker in a crowded locker room can be irritating even on the best of days, but when members are in a hurry it can become a full-blown deterrent, preventing them from sticking to a workout regimen. To save time and avoid crowded locker rooms, members can choose to wear versatile fashions that move easily from the street to the gym, making it easier to stop in for a quick workout while they’re out and about running other errands. Beatriz Pares, president of BLUEFISH Sport, says clubs that choose to offer functional, stylish workout fashions for sale are also able to capitalize on the fact that many people who work out regularly are very conscious of how they look.

Even members who don’t have trouble finding a locker are often faced with a dilemma after stowing valuables – what to do with the key and/or any other items (like portable electronic devices) that come along for the workout. One solution is to use an arm pouch to secure small personal items in a way that is comfortable and hands-free. Mark Morgan, SVP of sports marketing for Armpocket, says they also make a nice promotional item for clubs to give away and can be personalized with a club’s logo.

Offering discounts on merchandise for new members and contest winners is a great way to increase the popularity of new products. Also, making sure group fitness instructors and personal trainers are wearing the latest styles is another way to maximize profit on retail items, since many members are likely to want to buy items they see fitness professionals wearing. By choosing to offer versatile, style-consious workout gear, savvy club owners are creating a new profit center while also helping members look good, get organized and save time.

Training Tools
No matter how dedicated, fitness club members can be susceptible to boredom, which is why it is so important for clubs today to offer a variety of options. Luckily, many companies offer volume pricing on professional quality functional training tools and group exercise equipment that gives members, personal trainers and group-ex instructors a variety of ways to combat burnout.

According to Joey Hall, advertising and public relations coordinator for OPTP, one of their most popular items is the foam roller, which is durable, versatile and can be used for self-massage, stretching, Pilates, core-strengthening, posture and balance exercises. “Items like this are small, affordable and easy to use, making them great options for both club owners and members,” says Hall.  In addition, having a large group of diverse products like this on hand can help retain members and gain new ones by allowing clubs to easily change what their classes are offering, points out Cary Jackson, president of Fitness First. Jackson also says many clubs offer these products for sale directly to members, either through the club’s pro shop or by including the cost of the item with the class fees so members can take the mat or tubing home to use.

It’s important to plan ahead when choosing equipment for funtional training and group exercise classes because, in many cases, the more you buy the more you save. Sherri Steinfurth, general manager of Fitness Wholesale, says they help club owners develop a fitness supply plan that is customized to fit the club’s usage demands and offerings. “The items we offer are low-cost alternatives to large machines. With group-ex classes, there is a high usage rate with a low up-front investment,” she adds. With thousands of items out there to choose from, it’s necessary for clubs to have a clear vision of where – and how – these items will be incorporated.

It is also important that key staff members clearly understand how to use new accessories, since many of them can pull double-duty and assist with more than one type of exercise. “Just like with any other basic equipment in the gym, it’s important that clubs have a trainer on site to help with questions and demonstrate proper usage,” says Gloria Miller, marketing manager for Ball Dynamics. She urges club owners to think beyond the box and set up a functional training circuit station with a four-color poster demonstrating exercises. This way, members can easily add core and balance training to their usual strength routine.

Kettlebells offer another way to break down boredom and can even help reach a new demographic. According to David Ganulin, CEO of KettleBell Concepts, they can actually bring more men into the classroom. “Generally, men are concerned that a group-ex class will be too ‘dance-y’ but that’s not the case with kettlebells,” he says. Ganulin also stresses that clear programming and proper training are essential, combined with strong marketing, to ensure the success of any new programming.

By remembering the little things when sitting down to plan a facility’s offerings, club owners can provide helpful solutions to some of the challenges members face, keeping them coming back for more!

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In fitness clubs today, members are often searching for more than just traditional cardio and strength training areas. To meet this need, many clubs now offer workout wear, functional training tools and a variety of accessories for personal training and group exercise classes as a way to give members options and prevent them from succumbing to boredom.

Functional Fashion
In today’s busy world, everyone seems to be looking for ways to save time – and gym members are no exception! To accomodate  this, some fitness clubs offer gear that simplifies the workout process, making it easier to fit visits to the gym into a busy schedule.

One of the most frustrating things for some members happens before they even make it onto the workout floor. Trying to find a locker in a crowded locker room can be irritating even on the best of days, but when members are in a hurry it can become a full-blown deterrent, preventing them from sticking to a workout regimen. To save time and avoid crowded locker rooms, members can choose to wear versatile fashions that move easily from the street to the gym, making it easier to stop in for a quick workout while they’re out and about running other errands. Beatriz Pares, president of BLUEFISH Sport, says clubs that choose to offer functional, stylish workout fashions for sale are also able to capitalize on the fact that many people who work out regularly are very conscious of how they look.

Even members who don’t have trouble finding a locker are often faced with a dilemma after stowing valuables – what to do with the key and/or any other items (like portable electronic devices) that come along for the workout. One solution is to use an arm pouch to secure small personal items in a way that is comfortable and hands-free. Mark Morgan, SVP of sports marketing for Armpocket, says they also make a nice promotional item for clubs to give away and can be personalized with a club’s logo.

Offering discounts on merchandise for new members and contest winners is a great way to increase the popularity of new products. Also, making sure group fitness instructors and personal trainers are wearing the latest styles is another way to maximize profit on retail items, since many members are likely to want to buy items they see fitness professionals wearing. By choosing to offer versatile, style-consious workout gear, savvy club owners are creating a new profit center while also helping members look good, get organized and save time.

Training Tools
No matter how dedicated, fitness club members can be susceptible to boredom, which is why it is so important for clubs today to offer a variety of options. Luckily, many companies offer volume pricing on professional quality functional training tools and group exercise equipment that gives members, personal trainers and group-ex instructors a variety of ways to combat burnout.

According to Joey Hall, advertising and public relations coordinator for OPTP, one of their most popular items is the foam roller, which is durable, versatile and can be used for self-massage, stretching, Pilates, core-strengthening, posture and balance exercises. “Items like this are small, affordable and easy to use, making them great options for both club owners and members,” says Hall.  In addition, having a large group of diverse products like this on hand can help retain members and gain new ones by allowing clubs to easily change what their classes are offering, points out Cary Jackson, president of Fitness First. Jackson also says many clubs offer these products for sale directly to members, either through the club’s pro shop or by including the cost of the item with the class fees so members can take the mat or tubing home to use.

It’s important to plan ahead when choosing equipment for funtional training and group exercise classes because, in many cases, the more you buy the more you save. Sherri Steinfurth, general manager of Fitness Wholesale, says they help club owners develop a fitness supply plan that is customized to fit the club’s usage demands and offerings. “The items we offer are low-cost alternatives to large machines. With group-ex classes, there is a high usage rate with a low up-front investment,” she adds. With thousands of items out there to choose from, it’s necessary for clubs to have a clear vision of where – and how – these items will be incorporated.

It is also important that key staff members clearly understand how to use new accessories, since many of them can pull double-duty and assist with more than one type of exercise. “Just like with any other basic equipment in the gym, it’s important that clubs have a trainer on site to help with questions and demonstrate proper usage,” says Gloria Miller, marketing manager for Ball Dynamics. She urges club owners to think beyond the box and set up a functional training circuit station with a four-color poster demonstrating exercises. This way, members can easily add core and balance training to their usual strength routine.

Kettlebells offer another way to break down boredom and can even help reach a new demographic. According to David Ganulin, CEO of KettleBell Concepts, they can actually bring more men into the classroom. “Generally, men are concerned that a group-ex class will be too ‘dance-y’ but that’s not the case with kettlebells,” he says. Ganulin also stresses that clear programming and proper training are essential, combined with strong marketing, to ensure the success of any new programming.

By remembering the little things when sitting down to plan a facility’s offerings, club owners can provide helpful solutions to some of the challenges members face, keeping them coming back for more!

ARTICLE RESOURCES: